


Beautiful Minds

by 37054ljH



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Ableism, Adam is Reader's caretaker, Adorable Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Android Original Character, Autism, Autism Spectrum, Autistic Character written by an autistic person, Autistic Reader, Brother-Sister Relationships, Canon-Typical Violence, Carl Manfred & Markus Parent-Child Relationship, Coming of Age, Deviant Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Deviant Markus (Detroit: Become Human), Drugs, Elijah Kamski Being Elijah Kamski, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt, Everyone Is Doing Their Best, Father Figures, Father-Son Relationship, Female Reader, Gen, Good Parent Carl Manfred, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Learning Disabilities, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human), Pacifist Markus (Detroit: Become Human), Pacifist Route (Detroit: Become Human), Pianist Reader, Prostitution, Protective Connor (Detroit: Become Human), Protective Markus (Detroit: Become Human), Protective Parent Hank Anderson, Racism, Reader is trying so hard, Reader-Insert, Stress Relief, Tags May Change, meltdowns, protective original character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2020-07-28
Packaged: 2020-08-20 08:07:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20224567
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/37054ljH/pseuds/37054ljH
Summary: (Y/N) (L/N). Almost everyone knows her name. She is the ultimate pianist who can play whatever song you want, who can remember the tiny details, and who treats androids like living beings.But there is something else about her that catches the attention of people; She is severely autistic for one thing, and has distanced herself from her parents long ago, her android being her sole caregiver and protector.His name is Adam, and he has been with (Y/N) through it all, taking care of her, teaching her everything she knows, and protecting her from a world who wants her to change because of her disability.He is her brother, all but in blood, and he is the only thing (Y/N) needs in her life.But when Detroit begins to fall into chaos, (Y/N) and Adam will be challenged to overcome the obstacles and come out stronger, otherwise the cruel world they live in will tear them and all they know to pieces.*Follows the pacifist route**Rated M for blood and gore, violence, strong language, sexual themes, partial nudity, alcohol and drug use, and suggestive themes**There may or may not be romance, so be prepared to be disappointed*





	1. Prologue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reader insert in this story is written by an actual autistic person, but please keep in mind that not everything that is explored with this character is 100% fact, and this is coming from someone who has mild Asperger's Syndrome. Therefore, I ask that you please refrain from posting any degrading comments about autism or the character here, otherwise your comment will be deleted from the board and you will not be acknowledged from there on out.
> 
> The character also was not inspired by any media references, but through actual research and my own personal experiences with a form of autism.
> 
> Thank you!

She was five-years-old when she met him.

She didn't really understand what her parents were doing at the time either, why they wanted her to come with them to the store. Did they forget how much she hated that place? The air there always smelled too strongly of cleaning products, various people who either wore too much perfume or didn't bathe for days, and other scents she didn't want to identify. Not only that, but going to the store would mean being blinded by the lights above, hearing the endless chatter of people, and even coming into close proximity with those very people.

And yet, here she was, her headphones protecting her ears from all unwanted sound, and her weighted blanket around her body to keep her grounded. Her small hands clung to the fabric, and she felt her head and nose being assaulted by the people and the too clean smell of the room. She felt her throat constrict various times, and she pulled the weighted blanket towards her nose.

The soft cotton was a wonderful distraction.

Her parents continued to lead her even further into the store, greeting anyone who got close to them, all while different kinds of people stood on podiums like they were models. Of course, they didn't look like they were modeling, as they were not wearing fancy clothes (though their clothes appeared blindingly clean and freshly pressed), not to mention they were standing there like they were nothing but statues.

She blinked at them, suddenly confused.

"Mommy?" she quietly asked.

Her mother turned to her. "Yes (Y/N)?"

"Why are there people on those pillars?"

Her mother didn't answer at first, though she did look at her father before looking back to her. "They are androids (Y/N)," she clarified. "They are up for display so people can buy them."

"But why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do they need to be bought? Aren't they people too?"

The silence between her parents lasted even longer now, and when she got a reply, it was from her father, and he did not sound happy. "They are not people (Y/N)," he said. "They are machines, pure and simple."

"But—"

"Enough, we are here."

(Y/N) dug her hands into her weighted blanket when a strange man came up to them. "Hello folks," he greeted with a smile. "Is there anything I can help you with today?"

"Yes," said her father. "We're here to buy an android."

The man clapped his hands. "Wonderful!" His voice was painfully cheery, and suddenly (Y/N) wondered how no one else was noticing how fake it sounded. "So what kind are you looking for in particular?"

"We need an android that specializes with special needs children," said her mother.

The man typed something on his pad before gesturing with his hand. "And what does your child need help in?"

"She's autistic," her mother continued.

The man typed something again. "Alright, do you want the android to be a male or female?"

"It doesn't matter," said her father. "They're all the same. It won't matter."

"Of course." The man then put down his pad and gestured with his hand. "Follow me please."

They took off walking after him, and (Y/N) watched their feet as she followed them. All around them, people were checking out the people on the podiums, and there were even other children in the store, some of whom were crying up a storm to (Y/N)'s irritation. She had the need to stomp over to the child and hit them to shut them up, and she could feel her eyebrow twitching in response as she forced herself to keep her anger in check.

It was why she had been forced to drop out of school after all, since she had attacked a very young child who would not shut up on their life.

She will never forget the disgusted disappointment in her parents' voices on that day.

Eventually, they stopped in front of a podium, and the man gestured to the person standing on top of it.

"This is a MH300 android," he said. "It does very well with children who have autism, whether it be from mild to severe, can help teach them facial expression and body language, can help take care of them when needed, can help with potential meltdowns and stress relief, and can even do the household chores and the cooking. That reminds me, does your daughter have a certain diet?"

She practically felt the cold from both of her parents. "We can't get her to eat any vegetables," said her mother. "She will always spit them out when we try to feed them to her, and the only things she will eat is plain bread, meat, pasta, and even candy! Nothing else."

"She even eats food combinations that no one should eat, like a peanut butter sandwich submerged in ketchup," said her father.

(Y/N) practically felt her eyes burn.

The man didn't say anything to that, and thankfully didn't comment on it when he spoke up again. "Well, anyway, this android can hopefully help your daughter try new foods, especially when she grows older. I can guarantee that."

(Y/N) had chosen that moment to look up at the person on the podium, and immediately the first thing she saw was the softest green eyes she had ever seen. They looked back at her evenly, were glossy, but they were comfortable to look into. She then noticed that he was taller than her father, had his hands behind his back, wore a white shirt, pants, and shoes, blinding in the fluorescent light with a glowing blue band on his arm with the word "MH300" on one side of his chest, had peach-colored skin, and soft-looking brown hair.

He looked strong...and kind. And the fact that she was able to look right at his eyes and not look away immediately told her what she needed to know.

Just then the man from before knelt in front of her, keeping a respectful distance, but his face and voice still sounded so fake that she wanted to run up the podium and behind the man.

"Do you want to give it a name sweetie?" he asked. "It's all yours now."

(Y/N) looked back up at the man, finding him still looking at her, as if waiting to hear her orders. She walked up to him, keeping her eyes on his own, and reached up to grab one of his fingers, her hand being much too small to fully grasp two fingers. All the while he kept his eyes on her, and did not move to pull his hand away.

His skin felt so soft, like silk, and suddenly (Y/N) wished she could grab his entire hand, but first she would need to get bigger.

"Adam," she said, smiling up at him. "My big brother's name is going to be Adam."

She heard her parents and even the man gasp behind her, but she had kept her eyes on Adam's face, watching as his mouth parted slightly and his eyes widened a little before he smiled.

"My name is Adam," he said warmly, a soft, masculine, and kind voice, and pleasing to her ears.


	2. Chapter 2

_~~~16 years later~~~_

The sound of the drapes being opened woke her, and she groaned, bringing up a hand to block out the weak light of the dawn.

"It's time to get up (Y/N)," announced a familiar male voice. "It's 5:50 a.m."

(Y/N) yawned as she sat up, the covers falling before her as she wiped at her eyes to get rid of the crusty mucus around her eye and run her hands through her (h/l) hair. While she was doing this, footsteps began to walk towards the closet, which were then opened and the hangers were being moved to find an outfit for today.

"At the moment, it is 49 degrees with a small chance of rain," continued the man. "You also have a performance tonight at 5:30 p.m., which will be attended by Carl Manfred, Elijah Kamski, and various others."

(Y/N) nodded, finally getting out of bed and walking towards him. "Thank you...Adam," she said, briefly hugging the android's arm before walking to the bathroom, which she then closed behind her.

Of course, (Y/N) knew she didn't have to close it, after all Adam never really cared when she was naked, and she was perfectly comfortable getting naked in front of him, but closing doors had become a habit that she can't seem to break. She felt safer when the doors were closed, even if it was just Adam.

She then turned on the lights, which were dim but gave off enough light for her to see, and grabbed her deodorant, her hairbrush, her toothbrush and toothpaste, her washcloth, her retainer cleaners, and her perfume before moving to get herself ready. After putting on her deodorant and making sure there were little to no tangles in her hair, she quickly placed her retainer in the warm water contained in the little container nearby and proceeded to brush her teeth. After spitting out the paste and washing her mouth, she filled the sink with warm water before moving to wash her face.

After finishing, she unplugged the sink, allowing the water to go down the drain.

Afterwards, (Y/N) walked out of the bathroom, finding Adam no longer there, but she wasn't concerned. She knew where he would be every morning at this time.

Walking out of her room, (Y/N) proceeded to head to the kitchen, the soft carpet caressing her feet as she went. Out of habit, she wrapped her arms around herself, taking comfort in the quiet halls.

She loved these halls, and this house, for it was so unlike whenever she was at her parents' house.

Her breathing quickened at the thought, and she couldn't keep it back when she finally arrived to the kitchen, where she could hear the gentle clatter of pots and pans and other utensils.

Her fingernails were digging into her bare arms, and she barely heard the sound of the kitchen cease as a silky hand gently placed itself on her head.

She froze, her hands quickly relaxing as the soft hand gently caressed her head, the fingers moving through her locks like waves. Her panic was gone before she knew it, and she smiled up at Adam in bliss.

"Thank you, Adam," she said, feeling a little shame at herself.

Adam smiled back. "Your parents?" he asked.

(Y/N) looked away, her smile fading. "Yes," she said. "Have they called?"

Adam shook his head, his LED going yellow a moment before shifting back to blue. "They have not."

(Y/N) sighed in relief, and Adam turned away to return to the food he was making, so she took that as her cue to sit down at the table.

Soon Adam was finished with breakfast, and he placed them on a place and filled a cup with water before placing it in front of her. "Salted scrambled eggs and French toast with a cup of water?" he asked out of habit.

(Y/N) smiled and nodded. "Yes," she said. "Thank you Adam, this looks delicious as always."

Adam smiled back once again. "The pleasure is mine." With another nod, he then walked out of the kitchen, leaving (Y/N) to her own devices so he could get started on the chores for the day.

When he left, (Y/N) smiled faded into a sad frown. Adam always worked so hard, and she couldn't even do many chores, other mundane tasks that seem to come naturally to people, or cook to save her own life, the reason why Adam was bought in the first place.

Bought, how she hated that word.

However, she knew that she would not have been here, wouldn't have gotten out of that house, if it hadn't been for Adam.

Even now (Y/N) shudders to think of how her life would've turned out had she stayed at her parents' house.

But, with a sigh, she turned to her meal, taking a bite out of the French toast. She smiled in bliss; Adam's cooking was amazing as always.


	3. Chapter 3

(Y/N) hated crowds. Period.

She didn't understand what was so special about her. Of course, she knew she was a good pianist, but her skills were nothing compared to other well-known pianists, yet these people were acting like she was a saint, a savior of some kind, and that made her uncomfortable.

Adam helped pick out her outfit for tonight, as, again, she did not care if her clothes matched or not, which led to some...interesting encounters when they went out, and normally Adam allowed her to do it as it wasn't doing any significant harm, but this was a public event, and (Y/N) couldn't really afford to look ridiculous.

So, he picked out a light blue silk dress that felt like water on her skin, ankle-high black boots, and even placed a blue headband in her hair. She wasn't permitted to wear makeup, which (Y/N) was thankful for, as makeup was one of her worst fashion nightmares.

She would not wear any of that even if someone paid her a million dollars. After all, her mother had figured that out the hard way when she attempted to "doll her up" for an event.

As for Adam, (Y/N) had insisted that he wear something nice rather his usual work clothes, and Adam, not seeing the problem with it, agreed, putting on a tux that (Y/N) had personally bought for him as well as black pants and polished shoes. He had many other clothes to wear too thanks to the shopping they did together, as (Y/N) wondered if Adam would be tired of having to wear his work clothes all the time.

Adam didn't say that however, but it didn't matter.

As soon as they arrived to the building the party was to be hosted, (Y/N) and Adam were immediately bombarded with the flashes of cameras and the shouts of the paparazzi asking questions to her that seemed to create a gibberish language thanks to them shouting all at once. Thankfully Adam had placed the light-resistant glasses on her before they got out of the vehicle, and then he proceeded to guide her towards the building, easily ignoring the paparazzi around him.

(Y/N) also kept her expression as blank as she could manage as they passed the cameras and the fanatic people behind them.

"Miss (Y/N)!" she kept hearing, then she would hear those people continue to ask their questions, all of which she again couldn't understand. Thankfully, though, they were inside the building, with Adam closing the door after them and thus drowning out the sound of the people outside.

(Y/N) unleashed a shaky breath as Adam moved to remove her coat. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Yes," (Y/N) answered breathlessly. "Just let me catch my breath."

Adam nodded, placing her coat on the nearest rack before he patiently waited for her to regain her bearings.

It didn't take too long fortunately, and they proceeded to walk towards the doors that led to the ballroom.

Adam went ahead of her to open the doors, and immediately (Y/N)'s sight was assaulted by the large group of people within. They all wore expensive-looking clothes, some were holding glasses of wine or champagne and chatting amongst themselves, others were dancing in the middle of the room, and there were beautiful paintings located everywhere. It didn't take (Y/N) long to identify the artist.

This was, after all, what the party was about.

Adam led (Y/N) through the room, it was only when they were nearly halfway across the room that they were noticed by the party's attendants. Thanks to her glasses, (Y/N)'s eyes were not seen, which she was glad for as she was looking down, trying to avoid looking at anyone. Of course, she still felt their eyes on her, which felt like they were trying to burn themselves into her form.

"What a cute little girl."

"That's her? The autistic piano girl?"

"What? You sure that's her?"

"Positive. After all, that android always accompanies her wherever she goes."

"Hm, true."

"As expected of an autistic girl."

(Y/N) wanted to stomp over to those people, grab their glasses, and smash them into their faces, uncaring if the glass embedded itself in their faces. She always hated it when people immediately made assumptions about her because of her disability, or of Adam, like how she couldn't take care of herself.

But she knew they were right about that. It was, after all, why Adam had to look after her all the time.

Still, that didn't stop the humiliation and anger that overcame her.

Then Adam's hand was on her head, lightly patting it. "Calm yourself," he whispered to her, a small smile gracing his lips. "They are not worth your time."

(Y/N) looked up at him. "But..."

"Their words don't matter," Adam gently interrupted. "I can see that they are jealous of you (Y/N), and they are talking behind your back to bring you down."

(Y/N) blinked in surprise. "Adam, you know I'm not that skilled at the piano."

Adam chuckled, and it sounded so genuine that (Y/N) felt all anger fade away as if it were a light-switch. "I beg to differ (Y/N). You can do things that most human pianists can never do, something that can only be matched by an android."

(Y/N) blinked again. "And what's that?"

Adam just smiled at her, and eventually they arrived to where the piano was.

The piano was grand with a black coloring, its white and black keys were so clean that they shone in the dim light of the room, and the stool's legs were elegantly curved and its seat contained soft padding that looked comfortable and gentle. Adam led her to the piano seat, and once she was sitting, moved to stand next to the piano, staying within her sight.

(Y/N) always functioned better at playing for a room full of people when he was there.

She knew the songs she was to play, but being in a room of people, many of whom were scrutinizing towards her because of her autism, it would be easy for her to forget, but Adam? He would keep her grounded, mouthing the song she would play, and then she would play as if she were at home.

Of course, this piano was going to present a problem with how unfamiliar it was, but it wouldn't matter.

So, while everyone was doing their own thing, Adam nodded to her with a smile, and whispered, "Good luck."

(Y/N) smiled back, and took a deep breath before her fingers began to dance over the keys and fill the room with beautiful melodies.


	4. Chapter 4

She played the piano for a good thirty minutes before she was allowed to stop.

When that time came, (Y/N) had been surprised, like she always did whenever she had to stop playing. It was a part of her being a pianist after all, as she could get so lost in the melody of the music that time would pass her by without her even realizing it.

Thankfully Adam kept track of time for her.

But now, here she was, a glass of champagne in hand, doing her absolute best to avoid speaking to anyone, who would try to talk to her just to make themselves look good, not about her piano music.

Well, sometimes it would be about that, but then it would quickly shift.

"Adam," (Y/N) began, looking up to the android, "why exactly do we have to stay here? We've already done our part here."

Adam looked at her. "You are a well-known pianist (Y/N), and it's essential that you speak to people who are just as well-known as you."

(Y/N) sighed. "I get that, but..." She looked into her champagne, mesmerized at the bubbles that kept coming up to the surface. "They're so _hard _to talk to. They don't truly care about piano music. They only care about the entertainment and the money it will provide them."

"I agree my dear."

The male voice, so unfamiliar, made (Y/N) squeak in surprise and rush behind Adam, almost dropping her champagne in the process. Through the sound of her rapidly beating heart, she heard a chuckle, genuine and caring, that it made her look past Adam.

"Forgive me my dear, I didn't mean to startle you."

The first thing (Y/N) noticed was the man's wheelchair. She knew she shouldn't have taken notice of that first, but the wheelchair caught her attention first, as it told her the person within it couldn't walk. Then she took note of said person; while he was wearing a respectful and formal looking attire for the party, (Y/N) noticed his wrinkled face and white hair, the former of which contained a smile that felt genuinely warm. Slowly, she walked from behind Adam, resisting the urge to grab his wrist.

"I-It's okay," she said bashfully, praying that in the dull lighting, the man wouldn't see her flushed face. "U-Um, who are you sir?"

The man's smile widened, and he chuckled in warm amusement. "You don't remember me (Y/N)? How hurtful."

(Y/N) jumped, looking right at the man's nose. "M-Mr. Manfred?!" she almost squealed again. "I-I'm so sorry! I-I didn't recognize you!"

Adam's hand was on her head again, rubbing soothing circles across her scalp. Immediately her stress was relieved.

Carl Manfred waved a hand. "It's alright dear. I'm just teasing you. It has, after all, been a long time since we last spoke to each other."

It really has. (Y/N) didn't even recognize the man.

Carl then looked around, his smile disappearing into a frown. "You're not here with your parents this time?"

(Y/N) clutched onto the glass, her throat constricting, so she couldn't answer even if she wanted to. Seeing this, Adam spoke up.

"We no longer live with them, Mr. Manfred."

Carl's eyes widened, before they relaxed. "I see." Then, he turned to the man behind him, who had been standing behind him quietly the entire time. "Well, should I introduce you to Markus? He's been taking care of me for some time now."

(Y/N) looked up at Markus, the first thing she saw being his crystal blue eyes. He barely had a hairstyle, the appearances of a beard and mustache were present, tan skin, and a sturdy body. From the blue LED on his head, (Y/N) knew he was an android.

And she couldn't turn her eyes away from his eyes. They looked so warm, so welcoming, and she felt safe with him around.

Markus looked to Carl, his mouth parting slightly in what appeared to be surprise, but Carl wasn't paying attention to that.

(Y/N) quickly spoke up.

"Hello...M-Mr. Markus, I'm (Y/N), a-and this is Adam." She then smiled, praying that it wasn't one of her awkward smiles.

Markus quickly snapped out of whatever reverie he was in, his LED going yellow a moment before shifting back to blue, and he smiled back at her.

"Hello Miss (Y/N), Adam, my name is Markus."

Wow, his voice was so soothing too.

Carl turned to him. "Come now Markus, you can make a better introduction than that," he said, a smile on his lips, and (Y/N) stared at him in surprise, opening her mouth to question him until Adam leaned into her ear.

"He's teasing him," he whispered.

(Y/N) flinched, and blushed in embarrassment. Of course, he sounded serious, but he was smiling too.

Markus also jumped, and he stared at Carl with what seemed to be uncertainty. "B-But I did," he stammered bashfully.

Carl laughed, gently patting Markus' arm. "I'm just kidding with you Markus, don't get so worked up." He turned back to her and Adam. "Markus really reminds me of you sometimes, especially when I tease him like this."

(Y/N) chuckled nervously. "I...see..."

"Having all the fun are we Carl?"

They turned. "Ah, Elijah, it's good to see you again," greeted Carl warmly.

(Y/N) was trying not to tense. She recognized those dark features anywhere, as it belonged to the one man responsible for the creation of all androids, the founder of Cyberlife, and who changed the world forever with his creations.

Elijah Kamski.

At the moment, the dark man was dressed in a fine and expensive-looking suit and trousers, polished shoes, and tie. His hair was gelled and combed back, and one hand was currently in his pocket while another held a champagne glass. Behind him, (Y/N) could see the people looking their way in astonishment.

Elijah was now looking at her, and he tipped his glass to her. "Hello Miss (Y/N), fancy meeting you here tonight."

(Y/N) gulped before tipping her own glass back to him. "Hello Mr. Kamski," she greeted.

Elijah chuckled before turning to Carl. "So, what are you been discussing while I wasn't within earshot?"

(Y/N) was thankful that she had been forgotten for the time being, for she wasn't sure she could handle being in a conversation with Elijah Kamski of all people. Now, despite admiring him for his feats and being thankful to him for allowing Adam to be brought into existence, she only felt one thing for the man.

To put it simply, she did not like him.

Mentally, (Y/N) shook her head. She shouldn't be thinking such thoughts. It was, after all, what caused her to get in trouble so many times throughout her life.

Just look at her parents.

But (Y/N) didn't want to think about them either, so, absentmindedly, she took a sip of the champagne, only to cringe at the bubbly sensation in her mouth. Now, don't get her wrong, she actually liked the taste of champagne, as it helped keep her crazy thoughts together, but that didn't mean she had to like the sensation it left behind. Still, she needed to finish the drink so it wouldn't go to waste.

Adam would not be happy with her if she wasted something like this, even if it didn't feel good in her mouth.

She had finished it when Carl and Elijah turned back to her.

"(Y/N), do you have any plans for tonight?" asked Carl.

(Y/N) flinched, and subconsciously she began to rock back and forth. "N-No, I do not Mr. Manfred," she said. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to come visit my house again. It's been a long time since you've been there."

(Y/N)'s eyes widened, and immediately she stopped rocking. "H-Huh?"

Adam stepped up. "Mr. Manfred, it's almost time for us to head back home and for (Y/N) to have her daily nightly routine."

Elijah smirked at her upon hearing this, while Carl just smiled warmly. "I see. Well, don't let me stop you then. Have a good night Miss (Y/N)."

(Y/N) stared at him a moment, too nervous to speak, until she felt a light pat on the back. "S-Sure," she said. "You too."

She then walked out of the ballroom with Adam behind her, who then took hold of her now empty glass and set it on a nearby table before they arrived back to the lounge. He then grabbed (Y/N)'s coat and helped her into it before opening the door and rushing her to the vehicle, helping her ignore the paparazzi still there.

What the hell were they doing with their lives?!

As soon as they were in the car and on the way home, (Y/N) took off her glasses, smiling up at Adam. "Thank you for being there, Adam," she said.

Adam smiled back. "The pleasure is mine." He then handed something to her.

(Y/N) blinked at the small slip of paper. "What is that?" she asked.

"A business card," Adam answered. "It's from Mr. Manfred. He said he would like you to perform for him during these times."

(Y/N) gingerly took the card from Adam and looked at it. The card itself was elegant, and printed with a beautiful work of art that could belong to none other than Carl Manfred, though she was sure her eyes bugged out when she saw the times.

"All these?" she questioned. "Why would he..."

Adam just kept smiling at her. "You'll have to find out next week," he said.

"Adam!"

Adam just kept smiling at her, ignoring the panic that she knew was obvious on her face.

What was Adam thinking?


	5. Chapter 5

It had been a week since the party, and (Y/N) still had yet to respond to Carl Manfred's proposal.

Even though it had been years since she met the famous painter, (Y/N) was hesitant to meet with him. He appeared to be a nice enough gentleman, treating her respectfully despite her disability, and even showing kindness to Adam and his own android, but (Y/N) never knew what to truly make of the man.

Still, Adam never really seemed to see the man as a threat, otherwise he would've immediately escorted her away from him and would've advised her to not speak to him again.

But this was a famous man, who was known to harshly criticize something when it didn't match his standards, and despite his kind exterior, (Y/N) wasn't sure if she wanted to be alone in a room with him.

He knew her parents, so he surely knew of how they were.

Right?

It was morning again, and once more (Y/N) was quietly eating her breakfast by herself while Adam was doing the chores for today. Adam didn't detect any threat from the man or that Markus character, but that didn't stop her from feeling terrified.

She first met him when she was with her parents, but now that she's met him again, they were out of her life, and she didn't know what to do. She didn't want to just rely on Adam for this, she didn't want to add anymore things to his workload, not when other people found those things so easy to do.

It was one of the things that made her hate having autism.

(Y/N) was done with her breakfast and about to place her plate and cup into the sink when Adam walked back in.

"Was the food to your liking (Y/N)?" he asked.

(Y/N) smiled at him. "As always. You should know that by now Adam," she said.

His LED flashed to red, then the yellow before back to blue. "Forgive me," he said. "I can stop if you want."

(Y/N) flinched. "O-Oh no, don't. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have made you uncomfortable."

Adam tilted his head to the side. "You have not offended me (Y/N). Why would you think that?"

(Y/N) looked up at him sadly. "I care about you, you know?" she said. "It's only natural that I think of your feelings too, right?"

Adam's mouth parted slightly, but he didn't attempt to deny it as he walked towards the sink, turning on the water and adding soap into it. (Y/N) watched him, fascinated with how the bubbles formed, how the water began to rise, and the steam that rose up as the water got warmer and warmer. Adam could never feel the heat since he didn't have the same nerves that humans did, but (Y/N) suddenly wished that she was like him.

She could really go without her own heat detectors.

Adam then grabbed a washcloth and moved to get started washing the dishes, but then (Y/N) spoke up.

"Um, Adam?" she asked. Adam paused, turning to face her. "Can I...um, help you with the dishes today?"

This time his LED flashed yellow for a longer period of time. "You do not have to help me (Y/N)," he began.

"But I want to," (Y/N) interrupted. "Please, just this once. I really want to be useful for once."

Now Adam's LED was red. "You are not a burden (Y/N)," he said.

"But I feel like it. Please Adam"--(Y/N) looked up at him with what she hoped was pleading eyes--"just this once, please? You always do the work around here and I never get to help. I want to find one thing I can help you with."

Adam stared at her a moment, his LED staying a solid red before he bowed his head with a slow sigh, the LED returning to blue. "Of course," he said, turning back to the sink. "Though as the water is hot, I don't want you burning yourself. Do you mind cleaning the water off after I finish cleaning them?"

A big smile bloomed on (Y/N)'s face, and she nodded vigorously. "Of course!" She then hurried towards Adam's side and took the dry cloth he held out, then waiting as he handed one clean plate, cup, or utensil to her to wipe the water off, which she did happily before setting off to the side.

Throughout the rest of the time they cleaned the dishes, they were basked in a comfortable silence, and (Y/N) was smiling big as she wiped the water off the dishes before setting them aside.

Being useful felt really nice.

Eventually, they were done with the dishes, and Adam unplugged the sink and wiped his hands before turning to her.

"We also have shopping today," he announced. "Are you going to be ready to head out in five minutes?"

Still smiling, (Y/N) nodded. "Yes, just give me a moment." The sooner they got the shopping done, the better.

Adam nodded. "Of course."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapters will get longer from here on out.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the late update. Life has been kicking my ass lately, including college, battling with depression, and job hunting. Now I’m back, and as promised, this chapter will be longer and so will later chapters (though I can’t exactly guarantee that, as some chapters seem destined to be short ones). So, here you go!

The morning was calm and peaceful (well, as peaceful as a city such as Detroit would be in the morning), and (Y/N) deeply inhaled the morning air, loving the smell of fresh dew, of wet grass, and the chilly feel of the breeze as they walked to the marketplace. Thanks to her sunglasses, soft jacket, and sweatpants, (Y/N) wasn’t all that bothered by the chill or the brightness of the day, and even though Adam also wore a jacket, he didn’t feel the cold like she did.

Still, she had gotten him the jacket because he had been staring at it one time.

All around them, people were going about their daily routine, either jogging, walking their dogs, or just normal strolls, though (Y/N) did spot many of them were androids, especially the ones who were caring for babies and helping the elderly.

“Would you like me to help you up, Mr. Johnson?” she heard a female android ask an elderly man.

“Of course, thank you dear.”

(Y/N) smiled at the kindness in the man’s voice, and suddenly felt sad all over again. Why couldn’t the majority of the people be more like him? If there were more like him, then the problems concerning androids would be close to nonexistent by now.

How she hated those people.

“Adam?” (Y/N) questioned. “What do we need to get today?”

Adam’s LED flashed yellow a moment. “We need some more eggs, white bread, fat-free milk, soap, sugar, flour, and yogurt. Also, due to how well you performed last night, I even made an agreement to let you buy whatever item you want.”

(Y/N) grinned at Adam. “Thank you so much Adam,” she said, wrapping an arm around his. “You’re the best.”

Adam smiled in return.

But, faintly, (Y/N) could feel the eyes of the people on them, intent on burning holes through her. She shivered, now suddenly agitated, and immediately Adam placed a hand on her head, gently running his fingers through her locks.

She relaxed. “Sorry Adam,” she whispered.

Adam shook his head. “It’s not your fault,” he whispered back. “Just don’t let them get to you. They mean nothing.”

(Y/N) nodded. “I know.”

Finally, they arrived at their destination, and thankfully, from the significant lack of rows and rows of cars, there weren’t a lot of people in at this time, though this was Detroit. Taking a deep breath, the pair walked inside, and immediately the smell of food from the nearby kitchens and other scents hit (Y/N)’s nose.

She gagged a little, but thankfully it wasn’t enough to make her want to actually throw up.

Walking around the store, with (Y/N) looking down the entire time since she knew this place by heart (and because it made her seem smaller), they gathered the supplies they needed, and once they got them (Y/N) immediately went to the bakery section, where she proceeded to look through the donuts, cookies, cakes, and brownies.

One treat.

(Y/N) immediately grabbed the item nearest her, which were the large, perfectly square-cut brownies, and placed them in her basket. She grinned up at Adam.

“I’m ready,” she announced, a jump to her stance in response to her uncontained excitement.

Adam smiled at her, then led her to the self-checkout, which (Y/N) swore were godsends because then she didn’t have to talk to any of the cashiers, even though the majority of them were androids and not other humans.

Still, they too were people, even if they were machines.

After paying for her items through her debit card, (Y/N) grabbed the basket containing the groceries and walked with Adam outside the store. Eventually the basket proved to be too heavy for her, so Adam moved to carry it himself, the weight not fazing him a bit.

(Y/N) smiled up at him. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Adam nodded at her, and with that, they proceeded to walk home.

Well, they were about to, until…

“You useless scrap of metal!” a female voice hissed, causing (Y/N)’s ears to ring painfully as she and Adam spun around to face the owner of that voice. “You’re useless! Why can you do anything right?!”

“Forgive me Miss, I’ll pick it up--”

“Useless!” Then, followed by a kick.

(Y/N) froze, shaking as she saw a woman scream at her male android, all while he was in the midst of trying to pick up the scattered boxes dropped. However, even as he tried to pick them up, the woman kept kicking them away from him, still screaming profanities at him as he tried to do his job. (Y/N) began to hyperventilate, the familiar feeling of unfairness hitting her like a runaway train.

“Stop it,” she whispered, so weak that even she barely heard herself. She felt Adam’s hand rest on her shoulder, and he tried to guide her away from the scene.

“Come along (Y/N),” he urged gently, trying to pull her away. “Let’s go home.”

But (Y/N) didn’t hear him. She couldn’t hear him.

“Stop it, please, you’re hurting him,” she continued to whisper louder now, and her skin was growing unbearably hot.

“Miss, please, I must--”

“Fuck you!” the woman spat again, about to kick the android again. “You can’t do anything right, I should have you sent to the dump!”

“(Y/N)!”

(Y/N) took off running towards the woman, uncaring about who was watching nor did she hear Adam calling for her. Hands open, she rushed towards the woman, determined and not thinking clearly, and thanks to the sound of running footfalls, the woman stopped what she had been about to do and turned (Y/N)’s way in alarm.

“STOP IT!” (Y/N) screamed, throwing her hands into the woman and successfully pushing her away from the poor man. With a scream, the woman fell onto her back, knocking the breath out of her if the pained wheeze was anything to go by. However, (Y/N) paid no attention to the woman’s discomfort as she screamed. “STOP HURTING HIM! CAN’T YOU SEE HE’S DOING HIS BEST?!”

She had attracted a crowd at this point, many of whom were watching from the sidelines and whispering to each other, likely condescending words, but (Y/N) couldn’t bring herself to care at the moment. Ignoring the woman now, she knelt next to the man, who was staring at her as she helped gather the boxes and handed them to him.

“Here,” she whispered, smiling. “I’m so sorry I didn’t help sooner.”

The man said nothing for several moments, though he did smile. “Thank you,” he whispered back, voice warm and thankful. (Y/N) felt warm herself hearing those words.

“You bitch!” Spinning around in alarm, (Y/N) spotted the same woman she pushed being helped onto her feet by another group of women. “How dare you do that to me?! Have you no manners?!”

Oh no…

(Y/N) began to shiver as the hostile feelings of almost everyone around her began to assault her all at once, and she nearly whimpered. “Y-You were hurting him!” she yelled back, becoming defensive. “You’re were only making his job harder!”

“It’s a fucking android!” the woman screamed back, so painful to (Y/N)’s ears. “You shouldn’t be defending it!”

“You were being horrible to him!” (Y/N) yelled back. “And he’s not an it!”

The two of them continued to scream back and forth at each other, and it was so much that (Y/N) no longer knew what exactly she or the other woman were screaming about, only that it was getting more and more heated as time went on. No one stepped in to stop them, in fact the people appeared to be encouraging the other woman to put (Y/N) in her place.

What was so hard to understand?!

Eventually, (Y/N) felt a hand on her shoulder, and she spun around, fully ready to scream at whoever was interrupting her argument with this horrible woman, but the sight of familiar green eyes and soft brown hair stopped her short.

Adam.

He was looking at her, not smiling, but feeling perfectly calm as he lifted her up by her armpits and began to rock her, gentle and flowing, and (Y/N) could only stare as she felt the physical movements. She couldn’t move as the movement also seemed to force out any hostility and anger, leaving behind only a calm numbness that couldn’t be forced out no matter what.

Of course, that was the purpose of this.

Finally, (Y/N) was slumped against Adam’s hold.

“Feel better?” he whispered.

(Y/N) barely nodded. “Yes,” she whispered back.

Hearing this, Adam set her back down on the ground, and this time she didn’t resist as he proceeded to lead her away from the commotion.

“Where do you think you’re going?!” spat the woman. (Y/N) didn’t need to turn around to imagine that saliva was flying from her mouth. “You think you can just walk away?! After what you did?!”

Adam turned around in her place. “You need to calm down ma’am,” he said, voice even. “You’re only going to embarrass yourself.”

“_I’m_ embarrassing myself?” repeated the woman with a snake-like hiss. “Why don’t control your little bitch better?! Oh, I see, you’re a mental health android aren’t you? Then should I say “little retard”?”

Even though she wasn’t looking at her, (Y/N) could tell that she was smiling, and her eyes began to burn with a familiar shame that she hated.

Adam’s voice had gotten a tinge darker when he spoke up again. “Ma’am,” he began, slowly, “you are being very disrespectful right now. I have to ask you to leave peacefully or I’m going to have to call the police and report you for harassment.”

“She harassed me!” screamed the woman. “How dare you defend her?!”

Adam looked like he was about to speak up again when another voice interrupted him.

“Alright, break it up!” (Y/N) felt a shiver run up her spine as she recognized that blue uniform. “What’s the problem here?”

The woman, seeing the police officer, immediately pointed to (Y/N) and Adam. “Arrest her!” she ordered shrilly, once more causing (Y/N)’s ears to ring. “She attacked me!”

The officer turned to face the pair she was pointing at, and while (Y/N) was looking at the ground, Adam seemed to be looking evenly at the officer, calm as can be. He then approached them.

“Is this true?” he asked, looking directly at (Y/N).

As (Y/N) couldn’t speak up for the life of her, Adam filled in. “She was defending an android, officer,” he responded. “The sight of that woman harassing an android trying to do their job distressed her, causing her to lash out.”

“It’s just a fucking android!” the woman spat behind the officer. “It can't feel any pain!”

(Y/N) bit her lip to keep herself from screaming back at her, hard enough to almost draw blood.

“Any acts of violence towards anyone or anything will distress my charge,” Adam continued, still calm. “And no offense ma’am, but your behavior has not helped her behavior in any way.”

(Y/N) flinched slightly, despite herself.

If possible, the woman seemed to only get uglier after hearing those words. “W-What?! H-How dare--”

“Alright, that’s enough, all of you!” ordered the police officer, looking at every person nearby with a gaze that felt hot. “All of you better break it up and go about your day now, unless any of you wish to spend the night in jail?”

No one spoke, and then, one by one, the people began to disperse, some grumbling angrily to themselves, and (Y/N) knew she heard one person mutter, “God damn android lovers.” before they left the scene altogether.

How disrespectful. She hoped that a car would hit him.

“As for you,” the officer turned to (Y/N), Adam, and the woman, “I have some questions for you if you don’t mind.”

Chills ran up (Y/N)’s spine at that, despite Adam’s arm wrapped around her shoulder.

“Um, excuse me officer,” a male voice called, “is something wrong here?”

(Y/N) almost flinched in surprise at the sound of that voice, then turned around to see a familiar man in a wheelchair heading for them, followed by his just-as-familiar companion.

Her eyes widened when she saw him. “M-Mr Manfred,” she began, “w-what are you doing here?”

“Good to see you too, Miss (Y/N),” Carl greeted warmly, causing (Y/N)’s cheeks to heat up in embarrassment. God damn it, (Y/N)! “Markus and I were just taking a stroll when we saw you arguing with this woman here. It was pretty heated from the looks of it, so I didn’t come near you right away.”

(Y/N) wished the earth would crack open and swallow her whole right now, anything to get rid of the embarrassment she was feeling. “I--I’m so sorry you had to see that Mr. Manfred,” was all she could say.

“Don’t be my dear,” Carl replied, waving his hand. “After all, that was unfair what that woman was doing, and cruel of her to call you what she did.”

(Y/N) heard the woman spluttering in embarrassment behind her, but paid her no mind for once.

“Mr. Manfred,” the officer spoke up, startling (Y/N), who forgot that he was even there, “are you saying that you are a witness here?”

“I am,” said Carl.

“Then do you mind if I ask you questions as well?”

“Go right ahead. This old man is not going anywhere for awhile. And by the way, Miss (Y/N)”--Carl turned to her--“do you mind coming over to my place for a few minutes? I would like to talk to you about something when you get the chance.”

Unable to talk, and despite the anxiety she was feeling from thinking about the change in routine, (Y/N) could only nod and pray that she wouldn’t regret this.

“We’ll need to drop off our groceries first,” Adam said. (Y/N) could’ve kissed him when she heard him.

Carl smiled and chuckled. “Of course.”

~~~

The questioning only took a couple minutes, and upon getting the different sides of the story, the officer let them off with a warning, specifically towards the woman towards disorderly conduct, warning them that the next time this happened, they would be taken to the police station and spend a night or two in jail. The woman was red in the face, but otherwise agreed to the terms and stomped off with her android behind her, carrying the boxes (Y/N) helped pick up.

(Y/N) feared for him, for surely his owner would immediately punish him once they got home.

Still, she was too happy to get out of there, quickly head home so she and Adam can drop off their groceries, especially the cold items, and then head to Mr. Manfred’s house.

Usually, after grocery shopping, (Y/N) would immediately go to the piano room and play to her heart’s content until it was time for lunch or dinner, but now that had to change.

She only hoped that she wouldn’t be too irritable to Mr. Manfred once they arrived at his house. He didn’t deserve any of that, not from her. Definitely not from her.

Curse her brain. This was one of the things she hated about having autism.

First, she was useless when it took to taking care of herself, and second, she couldn’t even control her own freaking emotions.

She was the worst.

But there was only so much that Adam could do. That much he made clear whether she liked it or not.

So, here they were, heading towards Mr. Manfred’s place in a Detroit taxi, with (Y/N) staring out the window, watching as the city, people, and animals passed her by. The skyscrapers and other tall buildings shone brightly against the sunny sky, which would’ve blinded her and left her seeing spots for several minutes had she not been wearing her protective sunglasses.

She suddenly wondered what it would be like for everyone if the sun wasn’t so painful for their eyes.

Eventually, the taxi stopped in front of their destination, and the doors opened.

“You have reached your destination,” said the automatic voice of the taxi as the door opened. “Thank you for travelling with Detroit taxis. We look forward to seeing you again soon.”

(Y/N) and Adam immediately stepped out of the self-driving taxi, with the doors closing behind them once they did so and then driving off to another destination that (Y/N) didn’t know, nor did she care as she looked upon Mr. Manfred’s house.

Wow, it was much more beautiful up close.

She had only seen pictures of his mansion, saw how the reddish brown bricks gave off a warm color, the windows showed the red rooms within, the plants embracing the house like an old friend, and the cobblestone walkway that made pleasant sounds to her ears whenever her or Adam’s shoes hit them.

If only she was wearing heels or those boots that made sounds similar to heels, then she would be in Heaven.

(Y/N) allowed Adam to guide her towards the front door, watching as he rung the doorbell, causing a loud, melodic-like sound to erupt throughout the mansion. Instinctively, (Y/N) wrapped her arms around Adam’s, needing the comfort even though she didn’t know what she needed comforting from.

Adam ran his free hand through her hair once more. “It’s going to be alright (Y/N),” he said. “Mr. Manfred is not going to hurt you.”

“I know,” (Y/N) said. “I just don’t know why I’m nervous.”

“You’ve never been in his house before,” Adam explained gently. “Remember? This is your way of bracing yourself for the smell of a place you’ve never been in before.”

Oh god, that.

There was a reason why she and the smell of something new never mixed. The smell was always so strong and overpowering that (Y/N) would have a migraine for the rest of the day, or two days if it was bad enough. Hell, that was why she hated being in cars she was not used to, why she hated being in cars that needed a person to operate them.

It took her months to get used to the smell of her new home, but it was worth it. It wasn’t like her parents’ place was any better anyway.

Eventually, (Y/N) spotted movement in front of her, and saw Markus standing in the doorway, which he opened with a smile.

“Welcome Miss (Y/N),” he greeted, nodding to Adam afterwards. “Please, come in. Carl’s waiting in the living room.”

(Y/N) followed Markus without a word, still keeping a grip on Adam’s arm all the while. The scent of the mansion hit her first, and despite the unfamiliarity of the place, she could smell paint, books, coffee, and...was that the scent of dew? Subconsciously, she began to smile, loving the smell of this place.

It suited someone such as Carl Manfred.

Markus led them to the living room, a large room filled with many pieces of art such as a giraffe sculpture, a long table, shelves of books, a glass case, a red couch and chairs, a balcony overhead, a beautiful chandelier, a large fireplace, and windows that brought a lot of natural lighting into the room, one of which had an elegant small round table with matching chairs in front of it.

This place looked crowded, but not with people.

Markus led the two of them to the window, where (Y/N) spotted Mr. Manfred sitting in one of the seats at the small table, taking a sip from a white cup that smelled strongly of coffee. Markus stopped a few feet from him.

“Carl,” he called, “Miss (Y/N) and her android are here.”

(Y/N) frowned at Markus’ choice of words, but said nothing.

Mr. Manfred turned around, smiling when he saw them. “Ah, Miss (Y/N),” he greeted, voice as warm as earlier. “I was actually starting to think you wouldn’t show. I hope this isn’t overwhelming for you.”

(Y/N) blushed. “I-It would be rude to not accept...your invitation Mr. Manfred.”

“Please, call me Carl,” insisted Mr. Manfred. “There’s no one else here but us. Please, sit.” He gestured to the chair across from him.

Glancing up at Adam, she saw her caretaker smile and nod, to which she returned. Letting go of his arm, she walked towards the chair Mr. Manfred was gesturing to, slowly sitting down to calm her nerves. She didn’t want to look like a complete fool if she missed the chair or something.

Thankfully, she found the chair, and tried to relax as Mr. Manfred turned to the two androids.

“Markus, do you mind getting some water for (Y/N) please?” he asked. “I’m afraid she doesn’t like coffee.”

(Y/N) jumped a little. “Oh, Mr. Man--Carl, you don’t have to--”

“Please, I insist,” said Mr. Manfred, smiling. “You are my guest after all, and you’re little tense.”

Oh no…

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Mr. Manfred turned back to Markus. “Markus, if you please? And Adam, feel free to join Markus whenever you two are done bringing in water.”

Markus’ mouth parted slightly, and he looked like he had been about to say something against that before Adam beat him to it, bowing slightly. “I would be honored Mr. Manfred, thank you very much for your courtesy.”

“Of course, anything for my favorite pianist and her caregiver.”

(Y/N)’s face grew hotter.

Adam nodded, following Markus out of the room while the latter went to grab water for (Y/N). When they left her sight, (Y/N) looked at Carl’s hands, his wrinkled hands that were capable of creating something so mysterious and beautiful.

So different from her hands.

“Is everything alright (Y/N)?” Carl asked, drawing her from her thoughts. “You look troubled.”

How could he tell?

(Y/N) shrugged. “It’s just me being me, nothing worth of concern,” she answered.

“Are you still upset with what happened earlier?”

(Y/N) didn’t answer.

“I think you did the right thing dear; of course, I agree that you could’ve gone about it without causing a scene, but I understand seeing that distresses you very much. You were seeing Adam in that android’s place, weren’t you?”

Unable to form words, she nodded.

Carl nodded to himself. “That’s never easy. I will admit (Y/N), it will never be easy seeing something so cruel, but sadly, that is how this world works. There are bad people out there, hurting others without any thought or consideration towards their well-being. However, that’s why there are people like you to balance it out, to make the world an easier place to live.”

Smiling slightly, (Y/N) nodded.

At that point, Markus and Adam returned, the former carrying a water pitcher and cup, which he placed in front of (Y/N). Smiling, she nodded to him. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Markus nodded back. “It’s my pleasure.” He then turned to Carl. “Anything else, Carl?”

“No, not at the moment,” Carl replied. “Why don’t you go do what you want to do Markus? You’re free to join him as well Adam, if you want.”

“Thank you Mr. Manfred, that’s very kind of you,” said Adam, once again before Markus could probably say anything to deny Mr. Manfred’s proposal. He gestured his head out of the room to Markus, who proceeded to lead him out of the room to do whatever.

Carl turned to her. “By the way, (Y/N),” he began, “have you thought about my proposal?”

(Y/N)’s mouth parted slightly, and the flush returned to her cheeks. “I-I have,” she said.

“And what do you think?”

“I…” (Y/N) trailed off as she thought. “I...don’t really know, honestly.”

Carl said nothing for a few moments. “Is this because I asked you about your parents?” he asked.

(Y/N) flinched a little.

Carl ducked his head. “I see.” It was silent for a few more moments before he looked at her again. “I won’t ask you what happened between you and your parents (Y/N), for that’s your choice to tell me and yours alone. I won’t pry, though I’ll have you know that I have no affiliation with your parents other than speaking to them a few times in the past, but nothing more than that. Of that, you have my word.”

(Y/N) said nothing.

“Just think about it (Y/N), and know that I’m not here to discriminate against you or what you do. I’m only suggesting this as a friend, and I sincerely believe you know that. After all, this miserable old man and Markus could use some good company from around these parts, don’t you think?”

Against her better judgment, (Y/N) snorted. “You’re not that old Mr. Man--Carl.”

“I’m honored you think that, but I am.”

Talking with Mr. Man--Carl, was nice. It was like talking with a good friend, something that (Y/N) didn’t really have (except for Adam of course), and throughout the entirety of her visit with him, she grew more and more relaxed and outgoing, speaking with the older man about various things, mostly the things that interested them both.

Eventually, when it was time to leave, (Y/N) and Adam waved goodbye to Carl and Markus, promising to visit again before they went home.

And when they finally got through the door and Adam got started on lunch, (Y/N) grabbed the business card Carl gave her and made up her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Violence because of homophobia, racism, and other prejudices is very distressing for me, so much so that I will often go into fight-or-flight mode, mostly fight. That’s why I hate watching the news and movies that involve prejudices of any kind, even if they have happy endings.
> 
> Though, on a positive note, I love the sound of high heels! If I could, I would gladly listen to them all day, especially if no one’s around!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ** The official part of the story will now begin, so please be warned that there will be subjects explored (both from the game and not) that are not meant to be laughing matters. I will not go into them in detail as not only will I be repeating what you may already know, but they will also lead to spoilers. Therefore, I highly advise you to proceed with extreme caution.******

The notes filled the room with a blissful yet dreary melody as her fingers danced across the keys, filling her mind with memories old and new, sad and happy, and nostalgic and yet ones she would rather forget.

Still, in the world of music, nothing else mattered except for the world the piano led her into, as well as the feeling of belonging and majesty because of being led into said world. That, and she was also leading her audience into that world with her, allowing them to feel what she was feeling.

It was something that she was more than happy to share with that certain audience.

Except…

(Y/N) abruptly stopped, realizing that it had been hours since she and Adam had returned home from Carl’s house, hours since she had privately performed for him (and secretly Markus while he was working with Adam). She smiled lightly to herself.

It certainly has been a long time since she ever felt this happy playing for anyone, so long now that she can’t remember the last time she felt it.

Had it really been two months?

It almost seemed unbelievable, that (Y/N) was now going over to Carl’s house to play for him and chat with him until it was time for her and Adam to return home, while Adam helped Markus clean the house despite not needing to. She also found herself happily reading books with the other android, finding that he leaned towards philosophical texts or ones about art. Of course, it warmed (Y/N)’s heart to see that Carl was encouraging this, and seeing Markus become his own person in a safe environment was like a breath of fresh air.

If only more people were like Carl.

A knock came at the door. “(Y/N)?” It was Adam. “Is everything alright?”

It took (Y/N) a moment to remember that she stopped playing abruptly. “I’m alright Adam,” she called back. “Just thought about something.”

It was silent on the other side of the door, and at first (Y/N) thought that Adam had left, but then, “I see.” He paused again. “(Y/N), do you mind coming out here for a minute?”

The tone in Adam’s voice immediately spurred (Y/N) into action, and worry began to seep in her chest. Whenever Adam had _that_ particular tone to his voice, it would mean that something was wrong.

She immediately went to the door and opened it, seeing Adam standing on the other side as expected. However, what caught her attention first was how red his LED was.

“Adam,” (Y/N) began, staring up at him with growing fear, “what’s wrong?”

Adam’s lips pursed for a minute, then he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “You need to see this.”

“See what?”

Adam stopped talking at that point, and led (Y/N) to the living room. Like the rest of the house (besides the kitchen), it was a simple room that was pretty big, with the walls a light green color, the sofa and carpet the matching color, a clear coffee table directly in front of the sofa, a large TV located across from them, a DVD player and VHS located in the stand supporting the TV, the remotes being on top of the coffee table, two cabinets full of DVDs and VHS tapes each located next to both sides of the TV, and pictures of flowers, nature, and occasionally (Y/N) herself with the piano and of Adam on the walls.

But that wasn’t what caught (Y/N)’s attention like normal. Instead, it was what was going on on the TV.

Her mouth partly opened, and she could only stare as Adam led her further into the living room, still not saying a word.

The first thing she noticed was that the news was on, and then the sight of a person standing dangerously close to the edge of a tall building (likely an apartment building judging from the swimming pool, plants, and beach chairs), and in his arms was…

was...

A little girl, and a gun was pointed to her head.

(Y/N) didn’t need to look at the title of the news happening before her to know what was going on.

“Adam,” she whispered, unable to speak any higher. “Is that…”

“Yes,” Adam replied, his voice grim. “A deviant.”

Deviant androids were androids who developed their own emotions and free will, going against their programming in the process. Of course, all the ones (Y/N) had heard of were the cause of abusive and/or life-threatening situations.

And it appeared this was one of them.

She couldn’t hear anything, only noticing that the android was screaming something at the person across from him, another android from the looks of it, whose features were dark compared to the deviant. He was waving the gun around, refusing to release the child he held captive, and (Y/N) couldn’t bear to listen to whatever bullshit the news anchors were talking about.

She could only be thankful that the TV was muted.

It took (Y/N) a couple more moments to realize that there were a few bodies on the scene, with one body located in the swimming pool, face down, and another barely seen across from the pool. From their uniforms, they were clearly police officers, likely the first ones on the scene or ones that tried to approach the unstable deviant without any plan or care towards their own safety.

Those poor men…

The conversation between the two androids continued, and (Y/N) watched as the android in dark colors slowly approached the other, even going over to help the officer near him, using what appeared to be his tie to help stabilize him for the time. Then, looking less formal than he had before, the dark android continued to approach the other android, still speaking to him, and (Y/N) couldn’t understand what he was trying to do.

This continued for awhile, and the two androids continued to speak, but then, when the darker android was about what appeared to be a foot away, the deviant released the girl, showing a sign of surrender and appeared to be in the process of dropping the gun. (Y/N) felt a smile come to her face at this…

Then blue went flying.

Blue holes appeared in the deviant’s body in response to the bullets hitting him, bullets coming from a sniper or two on the nearby rooftops, and, as if in slow motion, (Y/N) watched as blue blood continued to go flying, then as the deviant fell to his knees, and never moved again.

What…?

What just...happened?

Why was he…?

(Y/N) couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t move, and she couldn’t even _think._

What...just happened?

Why...did this happen?

He surrendered. So why…

Then she realized it.

“He lied…” she whispered.

(Y/N) felt Adam’s eyes on her, but didn’t look.

“He lied to him,” she repeated, louder now, and voice thick with emotion while tears burned her eyes. “He lied to him! He lied to him!”

(Y/N) then buried her face into Adam’s shirt, not caring that she was getting it wet at the moment, and she clung to the soft fabric, unable to stop sobbing, though she wasn’t sure if she wanted to right now.

“He lied to him…” she whimpered now, added by more sobs. “He lied to him…”

Adam said nothing to this, only wrapping his arms around (Y/N)’s shoulders and running his hand over her head. He didn’t even try to lift her up or pat her head like he normally would, and this only made (Y/N) cry harder. The feeling of Adam’s soft arms did nothing to ease her mind or her tears, and she wasn’t sure if it could at this time.

Still, she needed him close to her, just to remind herself that he was here, that he wasn’t on that rooftop, on his knees and deactivated forever after being shot in cold blood by such cruel, heartless _bastards_. She didn’t know what she would do if she lost him, if he had been the one to have been shot in cold blood, if he had been betrayed like that.

And she almost did, so long ago, but it was one memory that she wasn’t sure she could forget, even if she wanted to.

So distracted by her crying, (Y/N) didn’t see Adam look at the TV, his LED flashing yellow, and almost as soon as he looked at the TV, it shut off, leaving the screen an endless black compared to what it showed before.

It was many minutes later when (Y/N)’s sobs turned to mere whimpers, and Adam gently pulled her away from him until she was looking directly into his soothing green eyes.

“Come,” Adam urged gently, guiding her away from the living room. “I’ll make you your favorite.”

(Y/N) didn’t respond, only clinging to her caretaker’s side. Of course, when they arrived to the kitchen, Adam gently pried her hands from his uniform before guiding her to the seat. Upon making sure she was comfortable, Adam moved to the stove, grabbing the necessary ingredients to make her favorite comfort food.

Meanwhile, (Y/N) watched his movements, saying nothing for several moments. Even though she stopped crying, she hated feeling so numb. It was always a feeling that left her feeling drained for the remainder of the day, and sometimes it wouldn’t go away until way into the next day.

Still, she had to admit that sometimes it was better than being so emotional.

Eventually, the smell of food got stronger, and it took (Y/N) a moment to realize that Adam had just placed a plate of egg sunny-side-ups, another small plate of perfectly cut french fries, a small cup of ketchup, and a fork and spoon in front of her. She eyed the food and utensils a moment, only managing to nod to Adam in thanks before she grabbed a french fry, dipped it into the ketchup, and took a bite.

As usual, the perfect combination of salt, ketchup, and crispy potato caressed her taste buds, and (Y/N) smiled slightly. She quickly finished the french fry before managing to speak.

“Adam?” she asked. “Why did you show that to me?”

Adam said nothing at first. “Do you remember the request you gave me after we moved into this place?”

(Y/N) looked at him. “How can I not? It was the only way we could prepare ourselves in case that happened.”

“Yes,” Adam agreed, “that’s why I had to show you that.”

(Y/N) sighed, taking another bite of a french fry before cutting into the egg sunny-side-ups, glad that Adam placed them on another plate despite knowing her likes and dislikes. She always hated it when the egg yolk would mix with the french fries if they were on the same plate, taking away their perfect taste and texture as a result.

(Y/N) then took a bite of the eggs, happy that they contained salt and pepper; therefore giving them flavor alongside the runny yolk.

“M-Maybe they won’t call,” she said, clenching her fist underneath the table. “Maybe they won’t be interested in knowing how their dependent daughter is taking the news about a deviant android.”

Adam was about to respond to that when, almost as if waiting to be spoken of, the sound of the phone ringing was heard, drawing both residents’ attention to the one in the kitchen. Almost as soon as she heard it, (Y/N) swore both her heart and her stomach shot up into her throat, and she stared at the ringing electronic with wide, fearful eyes. Adam looked at her, waiting to hear her next words.

(Y/N) couldn’t stop herself.

“Ignore it,” she said, clenching her eyes shut. “Please, don’t answer it.”

Adam nodded, and upon looking at the caller ID, he didn’t seem to want to answer it either if his solid red LED was anything to go by. The phone continued to ring, sounding more ominous than when it would normally ring, and (Y/N) prayed that it was shut up and leave her alone.

Eventually, to her relief, it stopped, and she thought that it was over.

That was, until she heard the familiar sound of static that came a moment later.

(Y/N) held her breath, shaking in her seat.

_“(Y/N) (M/N) (L/N),” _came a familiar male voice over the speaker. _“Where the hell are you right now? Have you seen the news? Hope you have, because that should show you how wrong you were.”_

(Y/N) clenched her fist again.

_“You have made the wrong choice to move out with that thing young lady, and I hope you’re proud of yourself. I tried to tell you that you shouldn’t be sympathetic towards machines, that they are only capable of destruction, but did you listen? _No. _I sincerely hope you haven’t forgotten what that fucking android did to us, and all because of you.”_

(Y/N)’s teeth clenched. There was nothing to yell at. He wouldn’t hear her anyway.

_“You disappoint me young lady, and you disappoint your mother. If you get this message, you better pray that your mother and I are in a good mood when you call, because we are no longer in the mood to listen to whatever nonsense you spew because of that fucking _machine_. Either way, I hope you are proud of what your beliefs have brought young lady, because I am not, and never will be._

_“You better call back by tomorrow, otherwise your mother and I will be paying a visit. Now, goodbye.”_

The sound of a phone disconnecting was heard, and it was probably the loudest sound at this time due to how the sound was accompanied by an angry hiss. (Y/N) stared at it as familiar unwanted feelings began to surface, and, banging her hands against the table, she screamed.

She screamed even as her throat grew sore. She screamed even her eyes began to burn unbearably again. She screamed even as those feelings dissipated slightly. Then, all she could do was pull at her hair so hard that it hurt.

She needed the hurt. Anything to get rid of those familiar feelings of hurt, shame, unfairness, anger, hatred, and most of all, fear.

Just then, (Y/N) felt herself being lifted by her armpits, then rocked with a continuous rhythm. Immediately, she fell silent, letting the rocking motion force out any negative feelings until finally she was slumped against whoever was holding her.

No, she knew who was holding her. Who else could it be?

Seeing that she was calm now, Adam set her back down in her seat, soon coming into her sights when he let her go.

“Are you okay?” he whispered.

Unable to talk at the moment, (Y/N) shook her head.

Adam nodded, then, after standing up, walked over to the phone, pressing the delete button on the voicemail, getting rid of it forever. Of course, even after he did that, Adam did not immediately move away from the phone, looking down at it with his LED flashing between yellow and red.

“I’m sorry (Y/N),” he then said after several moments of complete silence. “He should not have said that to you.”

(Y/N) shook her head. “It wasn’t like I was expecting anything different,” she said, voice devoid of emotion except for exhaustion. “They will never understand, and I doubt that they even want to.”

“But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt,” Adam added, turning to face her. “Those words were, after all, designed to hurt you. Gaslight you, even.”

(Y/N) nodded. “I know,” she whispered. She then looked down to her food, which was only partly eaten. Slowly, she ate another french fry, trying not to think too hard into the matter.

Adam sat down in the seat across from her. “Are you planning on calling them back?” he asked.

“Of course not!” said (Y/N), taking an aggressive bite of another french fry. “We both know how that will end up.”

Adam nodded, understanding what she was saying. “Good,” he said. “You do not need anymore of them, especially ever since we got out.”

(Y/N) nodded back. “I know,” she said, now working on finishing up her eggs, also scooping up some of the excess yolk onto the spoon. “Things have been so much better without them, especially now that I don’t have to worry about anything bad happening to the both of us every day.”

The both of them were silent were several minutes, and (Y/N) took that time to finish the rest of her meal, making sure that every fry was eaten, that each bit of ketchup was used, and that every last bit of egg yolk was scooped up and eaten as best as she could manage. Once she was finished, she let Adam take the dishes to the sink, where she then proceeded to help him dry them after he was finished washing them.

The work helped put her mind at ease. (Y/N) suddenly wondered if this was how Adam felt at times when he was cleaning. She really should learn how to do it sometime.

But still…

“Why did this have to happen, Adam?” she asked. “That deviant surrendered, and they just...shot him down in cold blood. If they were watching the news, why couldn’t they understand that? How couldn’t they understand that he had been...betrayed when he had surrendered?”

Adam said nothing for a moment. “I’m not sure (Y/N),” he said. “However, some people tend to either misinterpret situations or manipulate the truth for their own benefit. Concerning the prejudice against androids at this time, I don’t think this is surprising.”

(Y/N) pursed her lips. “I know that, it’s just…”

“I know,” said Adam. “It’s hard just watching that, especially for someone as kind-hearted and empathetic as you, (Y/N).” He smiled down at her. “It’s something that they are trying to change, and you mustn’t let them.”

(Y/N) smiled back, though she knew hers was weak compared to Adam’s. “I know,” she said. “That’s one of the reasons why we moved out.”

Adam nodded again.

“But still…” (Y/N) bit her lip in worry. “What are we going to do? They know where we live, even though we tried so hard to hide from them when we were in the process of escaping. They won’t listen, and for all I know things will only get heated again if we let them in.”

Adam, after quickly drying his hands, ran his fingers through her hair again. “I think I have an idea,” he said.

(Y/N) looked at him, stunned. “You do?”

Adam nodded, smiling. “Yes.” He gestured his head towards the phone. “You know who to call.”

(Y/N)’s mouth parted slightly, and, after a quick nod, she quickly ran to her room, coming back with a familiar card in her hand. Heading to the phone, she dialed the number on the card, praying to a god she didn’t believe in that the owner of the phone would pick up as she listened to the ringing on the other end.

Then, the click of a phone being answered was heard, and (Y/N) could’ve cried.

_“Hello? This is Carl Manfred’s android speaking. How may I help you?”_

(Y/N) inhaled shakily. “M-Markus?” she called.

There was a brief silence on the other end. _“Miss (Y/N)?” _Markus’ voice immediately went from professional to concerned. _“Why are you calling? Is everything alright?”_

“I--” (Y/N)’s throat closed up, and she couldn’t talk. She looked at Adam helplessly.

_“Miss (Y/N)?”_

Adam placed a hand on her shoulder, and somehow that loosened the lump in (Y/N)’s throat. “W-Well..” She trailed off again. “M-Markus, is Carl around? I really, really need to talk to him. Please, it’s urgent.”

There was silence on the other end, and for a moment (Y/N) thought Markus had hung up, but then she heard another voice.

_“(Y/N)?”_ Oh god, Carl. _“Is everything alright? You don’t usually call me at this time.”_

“I-I know,” (Y/N) said. She didn’t notice that she was about to cry again.

_“My dear, what has happened?” _Carl sounded alarmed. _“Has something happened?”_

“Y-Yes,” (Y/N) said, shakily. She quickly explained the situation, stuttering the entire time, and when she was done explaining, she ended with, “I-Is it alright if Adam and I...stay with you for a...c-couple days? Y-You don’t have to, of course! I really, really don’t want to intrude--”

_“Intrude?” _repeated Carl. _“That’s complete bullshit. I told you that you’re more than welcome to stay here for as long as you needed, and I am not going to let you stay at your place with that threat looming over the both of you. Get yourself and your caretaker over here as soon as you can. Markus and I will be waiting out front.”_

(Y/N) could’ve cried when she heard those words, and she couldn’t stop the next flow of words coming from her mouth. “Thank you, thank you, thank you so much Carl.” She then broke down into tears, unable to stop herself.

_“It’s not a problem dear, now hurry and get over here, will you? I promise you will be much safer here.”_

“O-Of course. Adam and I will be...there shortly. Bye Carl.”

_“See you soon dear.”_

(Y/N) hung up and placed the phone back in the holder, sniffing and rubbing her eyes to get rid of the tears. Adam’s hands went through her hair again, and she looked up at him.

“Pack whatever you need,” he said. “We will head over there right after that.”

(Y/N) nodded. “Okay.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story is now available on Tumblr!

The night was cold; very, very cold.

(Y/N) supposed that was to be expected. After all, the wind was biting, and despite the jacket and sweatpants she had on, it didn't stop the feelings that made the cold even worse.

Hell, she was still cold even despite the warm air of the taxi.

Did she make the right decision? What would happen when it was safe enough for her and Adam to return home? Would their house be a mess, or would it be the way it was before? (Y/N) could only hope that it was the latter.

Now, she could only fidget with the strap of her backpack as the self-driving taxi drove through the night, a night that also felt suppressive and hostile. As soon as she grabbed her toiletries, some clothes, underwear, shoes, her piano music, and even her pillow and blanket, (Y/N) and Adam left their house, with (Y/N) making sure that the spare key was grabbed so that _they_ wouldn't get any ideas, that every door and window was locked, and that the drapes were closed before they flagged down a taxi.

Now, (Y/N) could only be grateful that she and Adam took this vehicle, not because it was shelter from the cold night or that it was a faster way of getting to Carl's house, but because it meant that they wouldn't have to deal with any potential android haters who may or may not become more active because of the news earlier.

She prayed that any android outside would not be unlucky enough to come across those monsters.

After all, _he _wasn't spared, even when he surrendered. It was like (Y/N) was the only one who even cared at all.

Throughout the ride, neither (Y/N) or Adam said a word to each other. There was simply nothing to talk about. Of course, (Y/N) didn't know what Adam was thinking at this moment, but from how red his LED was (and it had been red for quite awhile), those thoughts were far from good.

Was he too worried about how their house would appear when they got back? It wouldn't surprise (Y/N) if she was correct in that assumption, because both she and Adam knew how...vocal _they_ can get when they are angry enough.

And she did not want it to happen. After all, her house was supposed to be safe, clean, and peaceful, and she did not want them to destroy that and force her to find a new place to live.

Once more, (Y/N) prayed that the house would be untouched when they got back. It was all she could do right now.

She didn't want to give up what she and Adam worked so hard for.

(Y/N)'s eyes burned again, making her already dry cheeks feel even drier. Huh, it seemed she hadn't run out of tears after all, and the thought of losing the results of her and Adam's hard work would always force out more tears even when she felt nothing.

They just wouldn't stop, would they?

Eventually, the taxi began to slow to a stop, and (Y/N) looked up to see the familiar sight of Carl's house, which appeared so dark against the night, with the nightlights on the front creating the only appearance of light against it.

That, and the sight of two familiar men, one in a wheelchair and wearing a jacket, and the other in a short-sleeved white shirt, dark pants, and shoes.

(Y/N) inhaled and exhaled shakily when she saw them, and the taxi couldn't have come to a stop any slower than it did.

She barely paid any attention to when the automatic voice of the vehicle began its usual monologue towards exiting passengers, for as soon as the door was opened, she was out of there, Adam not too far behind her. She barely felt the difference in temperature when she stepped out, or when she and Adam began walking towards Carl and Markus, Adam's hand around his charge's shoulders all the while.

When (Y/N) finally stopped in front of Carl and Markus, no words were spoken, at least, not at first. Carl looked over her mutely, as did Markus, before he looked at Adam and did the same thing to him. Then, he looked back at (Y/N).

"Come inside dear," he said, voice somber. "It's chilly out here."

(Y/N) nodded without a word, and with Adam's arm still wrapped around her shoulders, she followed Carl and Markus inside the house, where the smell of coffee, paint, and fresh dew greeted her once more. However, she couldn't bring herself to inhale the scents, having no desire to do so every time she came over for once.

The old man and android continued to lead them towards the living room, and Carl moved beside the red couch, gesturing for (Y/N) to sit down on it. She obeyed without fuss, but did not release Adam. She also clung to her backpack tighter, unable to stop the motion.

If the three men noticed, they didn't comment.

Then Carl turned to Markus. "Markus, could you go make us some hot cocoa please?" he asked.

Markus nodded. "Of course Carl." He then walked towards the kitchen, and Adam did not move to join him, his bigger concern being (Y/N) at the moment.

She could not find it in herself to feel guilty for holding her caretaker up, not right now.

For several moments, they sat there in silence. (Y/N) took that moment to steal a brief glance in Carl's direction, seeing that he was looking at the ground, his wrinkled hands clasped together. She suddenly wondered if he was thinking, but what about, she couldn't tell.

Then, Carl looked at her. "Are you feeling alright, my dear?" he asked, voice soft, like speaking any higher would have undesirable results.

Unable to lie, (Y/N) could only shake her head, also unable to speak.

Carl nodded, looking back towards the carpet. At that moment, Markus returned, carrying a tray that contained two steaming cups of hot cocoa. Both cups were a pristine white, were quite big, and had spoons, straws, and cotton cloths accompanying them. He set the tray on the coffee table in front of them before carefully handing Carl and (Y/N) their respective cups, making sure that the cloth was wrapped around them in the process.

"Be careful. It's hot," he warned softly before stepping away to be by Carl's side. (Y/N) nodded to him in thanks, only managing to get a weak and barely noticeable smile to appear, before she held the cup close to her.

She slowly inhaled the steam, smelling the rich and warm liquefied chocolate. However, she did not move to take a sip of it.

There was more silence, and at this point (Y/N) was begging for someone, anyone, to say something, because she wasn't sure if she could handle anymore of this silence.

Thankfully, Markus broke it.

"Are you hurt anywhere, Miss (Y/N)?" he asked, voice still gentle.

(Y/N) shook her head, still unable to talk. Damn this lump.

Markus only nodded, saying nothing else.

"Do any of you mind telling me what caused this?" Carl then asked. "I get the feeling it wasn't because _they_ were drunk."

Adam shook his head. "It wasn't about that, Mr. Manfred," he said, voice grim. "It was about the news this time."

When (Y/N) looked at Carl, she noticed that his eyebrows shot up, a sign of surprise from what Adam had told her years ago.

"Was it about the deviant holding a child captive?" asked Markus.

"Yes," said Adam. "The news was distressing for (Y/N) because of how cruelly the deviant was subdued considering the circumstances, but the problem is that her parents are willing to use any means necessary to gaslight family members into letting go of their kindness and ability to humanize androids."

"Adam had...to show me the news," (Y/N) finally spoke, voice sore. "If he didn't, then I would've attempted to confront them about what they were talking about, and that's the last thing Adam and I need from them."

After speaking, (Y/N) gingerly took a sip of her cocoa, finding that it had gotten cooler than it had been minutes ago, much to her appreciation.

Carl then sighed, a frustrated, angry sound. "Why didn't you tell me that it was this bad, (Y/N)?" he asked. His voice was still gentle, but a frustrated firmness accompanied it. "Also, why didn't you, Adam?"

Neither (Y/N) or Adam said anything for a moment, then Adam answered for them both. "The reason (Y/N) didn't tell you anything wasn't because she didn't want to bother you, Mr. Manfred. She simply wanted to get away from them, including their actions, and we truly thought that after we moved out that they wouldn't do anything, especially since (Y/N) is a grown woman who no longer needs them in any way and has made perfectly clear. As for why I didn't say anything, (Y/N) asked me not to, again because she wants to forget, and saying something will contradict that. I was merely respecting her wishes."

Silence followed once more, and (Y/N) took that moment to take another sip of her cocoa, a much longer one this time, and she mutely sighed at the pleasant feeling of the warm chocolate liquid caressing her mouth and her throat, as well as the warmth spreading throughout her entire body.

For a moment, she was glad that Markus didn't add any whipped cream or other kinds of sweets to the drink, otherwise the different flavors would overwhelm her mouth and senses, and she would refuse to drink the rest of it.

She couldn't understand how people were able to handle (much less enjoy) the different combinations. Some things aren't supposed to go together if someone wanted to enjoy something, especially if it was delicious by itself.

Carl ducked his head. "I see," he said. He took a sip of his cocoa. "I can understand wanting to forget (Y/N), but I do wish you said something to me sooner. Maybe I could've helped."

(Y/N) could only bite her lower lip, and she didn't dare argue with him. Still, how could a frail old man like Carl Manfred be able to talk sense into people who wouldn't even begin to listen to reason if their pride and personal beliefs were on the line? He could barely walk, much less do the things that he used to do, not to mention that he was, again, quite old, but while she didn't underestimate what he could do, (Y/N) did not want Carl to be on the receiving end of...well, _anything bad_ really. She also didn't want Markus to get involved, as that would only cause things to turn from bad to worse in just .01 seconds.

No one should get hurt because of her.

Someone moved in front of her, and it took (Y/N) a moment to realize that it was Markus.

"(Y/N)," he began, "do you trust us?"

It took (Y/N) a moment to realize that Markus did not address her as "Miss", and the surprise of his use of words muted her for a moment. Markus stared at her, patiently awaiting her answer, and, after several more moments of complete silence, (Y/N) nodded.

"I do," she whispered. "I trust you. It's just..." She shook her head.

"Don't worry about Carl and I, (Y/N)," Markus continued. "Our main concern is you and Adam. Even if they find out where you've gone, we will protect you. You have my word on that, and Carl's as well. We know what we're getting into, and we're ready, so you shouldn't be too concerned about us. We will take care of it."

(Y/N) fell silent once more.

Carl cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention to him. "Well, it's getting late everyone, so let's finish these up before we head to bed. Oh, and Markus? After we're done, would you mind escorting (Y/N) and Adam to the guest room? I'm afraid this silly old man forgot to inform his favorite pianist or her caretaker where it is."

"Carl!" (Y/N) scolded. "You're not that old!"

Carl only chuckled at her.

Markus nodded. "Of course, Carl."

Seeing what time it was, (Y/N) had to agree that it was pretty late, so she took that time to finish the rest of her hot cocoa as quickly as she could, though not quickly enough to draw attention. Of course, she was done with hers before Carl was, and she handed the empty cup to Markus, who took it to the kitchen before returning.

He grabbed Carl's wheelchair handles before turning to (Y/N) and Adam. "Follow us please," he said, wheeling Carl out from the living room.

(Y/N) and Adam followed, staying close to the two men as Markus attached Carl's wheelchair to the stair lift before walking up the stairs himself, the lift taking Carl's wheelchair upwards. Eventually, they reached the top of the stairs, and, after the wheelchair was detached, Markus and Carl proceeded to lead (Y/N) and Adam to the guest room, which was a room located further away from Carl's room. Opening the door, he gently ushered (Y/N) and Adam to walk inside, and (Y/N) took in the room within.

It was a simple room, considering that it was a guest room, but, like the rest of the mansion, it was still quite magnificent, from its pieces of art scattered along the walls, the queen-sized bed located in the left center of the room, its brilliant red covers and pillows, the dark gold carpet, a light above, a single window that contained dark drapes that were, at the moment, pulled apart, and a wooden door located on the other side of the bed, likely a bathroom.

(Y/N) turned back to face Carl and Markus. "Thank you again for letting us stay here, Carl, Markus. It really means a lot."

Carl nodded. "It's not a problem, dear. Now, have a good night. We will see you both in the morning."

"Goodnight."

Markus closed the door, leaving (Y/N) and Adam alone. Once they were gone, Adam turned to look at her, a smile on his face.

"Go take a shower," he said. "It's almost time for you to head to bed."

(Y/N) nodded, and, grabbing the necessary toiletries, pajamas, and underwear, she walked through the door across from the bed, turning on the lights as she went.

Thankfully, the light was gentle on her eyes, allowing her to take in the bathroom's appearance before she set down her things. The bathroom was a golden yellow, from the floors, to the walls, and even to the bathtub, while the toilet, sink, and counter were a pearly white. The drawers under the sink were golden brown in color and contained many shelves, while a large mirror was positioned above the sink. (Y/N) tried to ignore the unfamiliarity of the bathroom, from its scents, to the feeling of the floor on her feet, and even the lighting as she took that time to look at herself in the mirror.

Good god, she really looked like she had been to war with herself and lost, if that was even possible. Her hair was a mess, her cheeks were very, very red, her eyes a brighter shade of red, and there were even dark bags that had not been there before underneath her eyes. Her clothes were also really ruffled, containing so many unseen wrinkles that it almost hurt to look at them.

How (Y/N) hated that look. She always wanted to get rid of it, and thought that she had, but there it was, looking the same as it had the other times she had seen it.

So, as quickly as she could, (Y/N) took out her hairbrush and brushed her hair as thoroughly as she could, stripped herself of her clothes, grabbed her shampoo, conditioner, soap, and other bath essentials, and stepped into the tub, once more trying desperately to ignore how unfamiliar it felt.

It took a couple of minutes for her to figure out the shower mechanism, but she eventually succeeded in turning it on, and semi-thick streams of water hit her body. She washed her hair, her face, and her body with shampoo, conditioner, face cleaner, and soap each, making sure to run her fingers through her hair while washing out the conditioner, that every bit of soap was washed off, and until she felt...well, clean.

Then, after turning off the water, (Y/N) made sure that her hair was combed, her lotion was applied, her teeth were brushed, and she was dressed in her underwear and pajamas. After that, she stepped out of the bathroom.

The cool air of the unfamiliar room greeted her first, and she couldn't help but feel out of place, even with Adam next to her.

"Go to bed, (Y/N)," Adam said in a whisper. "Don't worry. I'll be here to wake you up at your usual time."

(Y/N) could only nod as she grabbed her pillow and her blanket before placing them on the bed and climbing into it, the covers also feeling so foreign that she wondered if she would ever get to sleep.

Adam ran his fingers through her wet hair one last time. "Goodnight, (Y/N)," he whispered. "Sweet dreams."

"Goodnight Adam," (Y/N) whispered back, and she watched as Adam walked towards the door, turned off the light, and left, closing the door behind him.

(Y/N) continued to stare, even when many minutes passed. The room was extremely dark, thanks to Adam closing the drapes, and (Y/N) couldn't help but feel so...alone.

The same feeling she had when she and Adam first moved into their house, only worse.

(Y/N) then thought back to Markus' words.

_"Even if they find out where you've gone, we will protect you. You have my word on that, and Carl's as well. We know what we're getting into, and we're ready, so you shouldn't be too concerned about us. We will take care of it."_

(Y/N) really did trust Carl and Markus, she really did. They would never lie to her about something like this; it simply wasn't in their nature, but as she began to grow tired, she couldn't help but wonder.

_How long can you protect me? Why do I get the feeling that things are about to go horribly, horribly _wrong_?_

Those thoughts continued to follow (Y/N) even after she finally fell asleep.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgive me for the lack of updates. I really don’t feel like this is a good excuse, but I didn’t really have a lot of inspiration to keep writing, and it turns out that my last antidepressant medication had been making me feel worse, so I had to take a break for awhile until I managed to regain it and find a better alternative for that medication. Not only that, but I had my mind on other things, and I have recently gotten a job, though since it’s in the early mornings and part-time, I’m hoping that it will help me become more productive in writing.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this new chapter!

(Y/N) blinked, wondering if she heard right.

“A...cocktail party?” she questioned.

Adam nodded. “Yes,” he answered. “A cocktail party that involves all manner of rich people in the city of Detroit have been invited, us especially. You have also been hired to play there for the attendees by the host of the party, and Carl Manfred has been invited as well.”

(Y/N) stared for several seconds, then slowly nodded. “Okay…” She didn’t know if she felt relieved that Carl (and Markus) would be attending this party too, or if she should feel a little frightened. “Does that mean I have to drink the cocktails too?”

Adam shook his head. “I don’t think so, though from what I have seen from the menu, most of the drinks are going to be ones you don’t like.”

(Y/N) nodded. She didn’t find that surprising.

Still…

“Do you think I should eat something before we go there?” she asked.

Adam nodded. “That would be best. Most of the dishes that will be there will not be to your liking, and the ones they have that you will like will not be in large quantities.”

(Y/N) sighed. “Of course they wouldn’t.”

There was no doubt in her mind that cocktail parties were the worst, and (Y/N) also didn’t doubt that the people that would be attending the party would not be the best people. After all, Carl often voiced his complaints about these kinds of parties too because of those kinds of people.

As she thought about the old man, (Y/N) found herself thinking back.

She and Adam had stayed at Carl’s home for a month before they felt it was safe enough to return home. Neither of them had any unwelcome visitors when they were staying at the Manfred mansion, and when they returned to their house, (Y/N) was tearfully relieved when she saw that the house remained untouched, with there being no signs of break-ins, of vandalism, or even of threatening messages.

She even checked the place where she hid the spare key, and, adding to her relief, it was still there, the same way she had left it.

Regardless, (Y/N) knew better than to totally relax. After all, if _they_ were able to find out her and Adam’s house number, then they probably would know where their house was...that was, if they hadn’t been bluffing the time they sent that message over the phone.

(Y/N) prayed that they would never find their home. She did not want them to take that away from her and Adam.

A hand began to run through her hair, snapping (Y/N) from her thoughts. “Don’t worry, (Y/N),” Adam reassured. “They are not going to find us, nor are they ever going to hurt you again. I promise that.”

(Y/N) looked up at Adam. “But what if--”

“Let’s not think of any of that.” Adam smiled down at her. “They already know that they are on thin ice as it is, so it’s doubtful that they will do something of the sort.”

(Y/N) nodded. _They _were not stupid, and even with the threatening messages, she knew that, most of the time, there wasn’t anything they could do without repercussions. That was, after all, the point of restraining orders.

But still, sometimes a piece of paper would not stop some people from doing horrific things to their targets.

(Y/N) then looked at Adam. “Does that mean that I have to wear an uncomfortable dress for this party?”

Adam smirked. “Not exactly,” he said. “After all, we have plenty of solutions.”

(Y/N) blinked. “Solutions?”

She hoped that didn’t mean they had to go shopping.

~~~

Of _course_ they had to go shopping for an outfit.

(Y/N) had not been happy the entire time they were at the store, trying to find an outfit that would work. Somehow, the outfits that she already had didn’t match Adam’s tastes, so here they were, in a store, looking for that very outfit, and (Y/N) couldn’t understand why. After all, all the outfits she had at home were ones that she always used for events like this, and Adam never once disagreed with her about that.

But now?

Every outfit that (Y/N) had picked, Adam shook his head over, and that eventually forced her to frustratingly allow Adam to choose an outfit for her. The one he picked looked so...ridiculous that she couldn’t help but look at her caregiver incredulously (or what she hoped was incredulously). However, Adam just kept smiling at her as he had her try it on, to which she begrudgingly did. Thankfully the fabric was comfortable, but (Y/N) still couldn’t help but feel ridiculous in it.

When she showed Adam, he simply smiled at her, saying that it was perfect and that they should buy it.

She could only sulk as they did this, because, great, she was going to have this ridiculous thing in her closet now.

However, when they were in the taxi to go back home, Adam smiled at her and said, “Do you know why I had you get that?”

(Y/N) blinked, still feeling frustrated. “No,” she said. “Why?”

“Because you said you hated cocktail parties. So why not wear something that will show everyone how much you hate them?”

(Y/N)’s eyes went wide at this, and before she knew it, she was wheezing with laughter. Oh god, how had she not noticed? Adam was right! This was perfect!

She spent the entire way home dying of laughter, and even then she was still laughing, so Adam had to carry her into the house, where she continued laughing for a few more minutes before she managed to compose herself. She then grinned at Adam, thankful that he managed to make her laugh today.

Now, she couldn’t wait to show Carl and Markus the outfit. Even now she could picture their reactions, with Carl snorting with laughter, and Markus raising an eyebrow with a twitch in his lips, hopefully showing his own amusement at it.

(Y/N) really needed to find a way to thank them for everything they had done for her and Adam.

Hell, maybe she could ask Markus what Carl would want to do for his next birthday, or even what he himself wanted to do on a certain day.

Granted, (Y/N) knew that people never thought to give androids a birthday, and even now it saddened her that they could be so callous, so dehumanizing even. While she may not celebrate her own birthday (for it was just another day to her, having lost its significance long ago), she knew that knowing the day of one’s own birth was significant. So, she made the first day she met Adam Adam’s birthday.

She still remembered Adam questioning her about it, but he soon went with it.

Eventually, after they got home, (Y/N) immediately went to the phone and called Carl and Markus, asking if they wanted to meet them at their house or if they just wanted to meet at the party. The old man immediately responded by saying that he would be more than happy to see her and Adam before they went to the party, which (Y/N) was happy to hear. So, once it got closer for the party to start, (Y/N) immediately dressed into the new outfit while Adam helped her put her hair up to form a braid around her hair. After that, they left with her piano sheet music and purse in tow.

As expected, when they got to Carl and Markus’ house, Carl actually immediately started laughing when he saw what (Y/N) was wearing, while Markus raised an eyebrow while his lips were twitching in a clear effort to not join Carl in his laughing fit. All the while, (Y/N) was grinning, pleased that she got even better reactions from the two men, and hopefully would make the night more tolerable when they got to the party.

Then, the taxi arrived at the party, and the group of four stepped out and walked inside, only to be immediately greeted by the rich and “important” people of the city of Detroit and were then served cocktails.

“Mr, Manfred!” called one person that (Y/N) couldn’t see.

“Good evening, Miss (Y/N)!” said another person. “You look beautiful tonight!”

“Play well for us tonight, Miss (Y/N)!”

“My my, she’s quite daring tonight, isn’t she?”

“How perplexing.”

Despite smiling through it all, (Y/N) was cringing the entire time. Even with her inability to read facial expressions and body language, even she could tell how fake those people sounded. It was like they were trying so hard to keep their true selves hidden for their own benefit, and it made (Y/N) want to throw up. Regardless, she kept up appearances and went towards the piano the party offered, Adam in her vision once more as she proceeded to play to her heart’s content.

All the songs that she played were full of joy and happiness, and it was so contagious that the people around her began dancing. (Y/N) paid no attention to this as she continued playing, smiling the entire time.

She was not going to let the people who attended this party, or what happened months earlier, to spoil her mood. She refused to have anyone have that control anymore.

She was a grown woman, capable of making her own decisions, and no one was going to convince her otherwise.

Finally, she was done, and she was greeted with the sound of a loud round of applause. Even with her headphones protecting her ears, it was still quite loud, but she could tolerate it as she bowed to the audience and walked away from the piano with Adam to find Markus and Carl.

Thankfully, they were not that hard to find, and once they approached them, Carl smiled at (Y/N). “Amazing performance as usual, my dear,” he congratulated. “I can’t help but think you’re getting better everyday.”

(Y/N) blushed. “T-Thank you, Carl,” she said, nodding in thanks to Adam when he gave her a glass of white grape sparkling cider. Taking a sip, she sighed in bliss at the sweet taste of the drink, and somehow, the bubbles in the drink cured her thirst. “How have you been holding up?”

Carl grumbled to himself. “I’m ready to leave, that’s for sure.”

(Y/N) winced in sympathy, especially when she heard the people around her talking about money, status, and fame. “I can’t blame you.”

Markus then chimes in. “If it makes you two feel any better, we only have to be here for another hour.”

Carl grumbled again. “Oh _great_,” he mused. “Looks like we’re going to have to spend the entire hour trying to find something enjoyable to do in the midst of all these people.”

(Y/N) only giggled nervously.

Then, suddenly, Carl perked you. “Oh, before I forget, (Y/N), honey, would you and Adam like to come over to my house for a drink before you head home? If you don’t want to, then that’s perfectly fine.”

(Y/N) was about to open her mouth to decline, but something stopped her. She couldn’t describe what it was, but she had this sinking feeling to accept, that something was wrong, and suddenly she didn’t want Carl or Markus going back home by themselves.

Adam was speaking when she made up her mind. “I’m afraid that we—”

“We’ll be happy too,” (Y/N) interrupted. She felt Adam’s eyes on her, but she didn’t look at him.

Carl smiled, even though he raised an eyebrow at their behavior. “Wonderful! And thankfully we have your favorite non-alcoholic beverage at home too!”

(Y/N) just kept smiling, trying to not show what she had been feeling. She didn’t want to worry Carl with it, not now.

~~~

The hour went by very slowly to the dismay of Carl and (Y/N), so by the time they were finally allowed to leave, (Y/N) nearly grabbed Adam’s hand and dragged him, Markus, and Carl out the door and towards the nearest taxi. By the time they got into the taxi, she finally relaxed and slumped against the seat, feeling the beginnings of a headache coming on.

Eventually, they arrived to Carl’s house, and as it was raining, they had to grab umbrellas so they could enter the house without getting wet. Thankfully it wasn’t a long walk, so they were at the door in a few steps.

The front door opened once they were close, saying, “Good evening, Carl. Welcome home.”

As they passed through the door, Carl spoke up.

“Aside from your performance, that was by far the most boring party I’ve been to in the last twenty-five years.” As Markus moved to put his jacket and the umbrella away with Adam, he continued. “Every time I go to one of these, I ask myself, “What the hell am I doing here?” I hate cocktail parties and all the schmoozers that go there.”

“Well,” began Markus, “it’s a chance for all those people who admire your work to meet you. The same with (Y/N).”

Carl grumbled. “I know we’ve already talked about this, but many people don’t give a damn about art. All they care about is how much money they’re gonna make out of it.”

(Y/N) nodded. “I know,” she said. “They’re just...so hard to talk to.”

It was silent for a few moments before Markus moved behind Carl’s wheelchair, moving to wheel him to the living room.

“Well, come on, let’s have a drink. All this excitement of this whole thing has made me thirsty,” said Carl.

(Y/N) stared at the old man in disbelief. “You mean to tell me that you’re still thirsty after all that drinking we did tonight?”

Carl playfully glared at her. “You know I didn’t drink a thing.”

(Y/N) snorted, unable to help herself, while Adam just shook his head in amusement.

As the doors to the dining/living room opened, Markus spoke up. “Scotch, neat, as usual? And are you still thirsty for the sparkling cider, (Y/N)?”

(Y/N) nodded just as Carl said, “Absolutely.”

“Okay, but you know what your doctor would say…”

“Yeah, well, he can kiss my ass. I’m old enough to choose my own medication.”

Despite the hidden meaning, (Y/N) couldn’t help but smile at Carl’s words. Yup, that was Carl alright.

However, as Markus got himself busy pouring their respective drinks, (Y/N) looked towards the door of the art studio, and frowned. “Um...Carl, Markus? Did you leave the lights on before you left?”

Everyone followed her eyes, and (Y/N) felt Adam’s hand tighten on her shoulder, which made her wince, and suddenly she felt scared.

As she said, the lights of the art studio were on, and it looked like they had been on for quite some time. When she looked at Carl and Markus, (Y/N) saw that both men were frowning.

“No,” Markus finally answered after several moments of silence, setting down the cup he was in the middle of pouring scotch into. “No, I’m sure I didn’t.”

(Y/N) began shaking, and suddenly even Adam’s fingers in her hair did not comfort her.

Something’s wrong.

_Someone’s here_.

Then Carl spoke up. “Call the police.”

A chill ran up (Y/N)’s spine at those words, and she suddenly found herself clinging to Adam’s jacket, while he wrapped his arms around her.

Markus’ LED flashed to yellow. “This is Carl Manfred’s android, at 8941 Lafayette Avenue. We’ve just returned home with a guest and found the lights on. There may have been a break-in.”

A break-in.

A break-in…

_A break-in._

(Y/N) whimpered, and suddenly she felt tears burn her eyes as the worst of scenarios filled her mind. Oh god, were _they_ here? But how? Surely they couldn’t know Carl’s home address! But then again, they had managed to find her home number...

Carl’s wrinkled hand touched (Y/N)’s arm, making her flinch. Looking at him, he was smiling at her.

“Don’t be afraid, (Y/N),” he reassured. “Everything will be okay, I promise you.” He then turned to Markus. “Let’s go check it out. Adam, can you stay here with (Y/N)?”

Adam nodded. “Of course. Be careful.”

(Y/N) suddenly wanted to protest about the man and Markus going in there without weapons, because whoever was in that room could be armed themselves, and she didn’t want them to go in there in case that was possible. However, her throat was constricted, and she couldn’t voice her concerns for the life of her, only able to watch as Markus wheeled Carl’s wheelchair into the room.

(Y/N) clung to Adam’s jacket. “Something’s wrong…” she whimpered. “Something’s going to hurt them...we need...we need to go after them…!”

Adam looked down at her, his LED flashing red while his brow furrowed. “(Y/N), you know we can’t--”

Just then the sound of shouting was heard, interrupting Adam.

Snapping her head in the direction of the art studio, (Y/N) tore herself from Adam’s arms. “They’re in trouble!” she cried, rushing towards the studio.

“(Y/N)!” Adam yelled behind her. “Get back here!”

(Y/N) paid her caregiver no mind as she rushed into the studio, the first thing she saw being Carl and Markus, looking unharmed (thank god), but then she looked behind him, seeing a man who looked like he was about ready to attack someone at the slightest provocation. Hell, his clothes were dirty, he was stumbling, and he was screaming at Carl and Markus, his voice so painfully loud to (Y/N)’s ears.

But she recognized him thanks to the photos Carl showed her, even despite the man’s unruly appearance.

Carl’s son, Leo.

(Y/N) froze, shaking, just as Carl and Markus spun around to face her.

“(Y/N)!” Carl shouted, surprised. “What are you doing in here?! Get out of here!”

But (Y/N) couldn’t move. She began shaking again.

What was he...what was he doing here?!

No, no please…!

Leo Manfred looked at her, and even though she couldn’t read his look, (Y/N) suddenly felt disgusting, like she needed to wash herself of his gaze, even start running, but she was frozen on the spot. “Oh I see,” Leo then began, his voice spiteful and callous, “you also replaced me with a little retarded bitch, didn’t you? How low can you get, Dad?”

Carl grit his teeth. “Markus, get him away from there. Get him out of here!”

Markus approached Leo, clearly calm and patient, and by now (Y/N) was able to feel Adam’s presence behind her, grabbing her by the shoulders.

“(Y/N),” he urged, “come on, let’s get out of here.”

But (Y/N) couldn’t move, not even when Markus began to speak.

“Listen, you should go before things get worse.”

Leo snarled, turning his attention back to his father. “All you ever do is tell me to go away,” he said. “What’s wrong, Dad? I’m not good enough for you? Not _perfect_ like this fucking thing? Not _obedient_ like this retard?”

(Y/N) whimpered, the tears slipping past her control, and Adam brought her to his chest, trying to shield her from the scene as Carl shouted.

“That’s enough!” Carl proceeded to wheel himself towards his son. “Get out, right now! Go on, move!”

“What makes them so special anyway, huh?” Leo continued to demand. “What do they have that I don’t?”

“Leave him alone!” Carl attempted to push his son, but Leo, being younger and therefore stronger, pushed his father away, which caused the older man’s chair to spin uncontrollably for a couple seconds.

“Stop it!” cried (Y/N), trying to struggle against Adam’s strong hold. “Don’t hurt them!”

Leo was screaming some more profanities that (Y/N) couldn’t keep up with, especially when a familiar voice spoke.

“Markus,” Carl began again, somehow calmer than he had been before. “Don’t defend yourself, you hear? Don’t do anything.”

(Y/N) froze. What…? What was Carl…?

Leo began to mock Markus. “Go ahead, hit me! What you waiting for? Think you’re a man? Act like one!” He said the last part with a push.

“Stop it, please!” (Y/N) was pleading. “Leave him alone!”

“Stop it!” Carl also shouted, sounding pained.

“What’s the matter?” Leo kept mocking. “Too much of a pussy?” He pushed Markus again.

“Stop it!” cried (Y/N), struggling even more against Adam’s hold.

“STOP IT, LEO!” added Carl. “STOP IT!”

“Too scared to fight back, you fucking bitch?!” Leo then began slapping Markus.

“(Y/N)!” screamed Adam. “NO!”

But it was too late. (Y/N) was free now, and she was rushing towards Leo, screaming, “GET AWAY FROM HIM!” while shoving him in turn.

Leo stumbled back, caught off guard, before snarling at her. “Fucking bitch!” He then pounced on (Y/N), taking her to the floor.

“NO!” (Y/N) barely heard that scream when she felt her head connect with the unforgiving floor, causing her vision to go black for several seconds. When she came to, her face hurt like crazy, and she realized that Leo was punching her.

She tried to defend herself as best she could, but there was little she could do as Leo continued landing punch after punch onto her form, and (Y/N) could taste blood in her mouth as he continued punching her while screaming obscenities at her.

But then she heard footsteps, and suddenly Leo was off of her, his head landing on the contraption that Carl uses for his bigger works of art. By that time, Leo didn’t move again, and (Y/N) could only stare.

What just...happened?

Adam’s hands were on her shoulders at that point, helping her up, and now (Y/N) was looking at Markus, who was staring at Leo, his mouth open and eyes wide with shock, and Carl cried out and crawled beside his son, stunned.

What…?

Did...did Markus…?

“Carl, I…”

Markus sounded so...broken, so confused and lost, and suddenly (Y/N) understood.

And she was scared.

She struggled to stand up, Adam helping her. “They’ll…” She winced in pain. “They’ll destroy you, Markus! Run!”

“You gotta go!” Carl tearfully ordered. “Get outta here!”

Markus looked at the both of them, conflicted, and the fear only grew in (Y/N). “G-Go?” he repeated. “I have nowhere to go...Carl, you’re all I have!”

(Y/N) suddenly heard the sound of the door being forced open, and suddenly the adrenaline came back with a vengeance, numbing her to the pain.

“GET OUT!” Carl screamed. “NOW!”

But it was already too late. The doors to the art studio opened, and two police officers entered, clearly misinterpreting the situation.

“MARKUS!” screamed Carl.

“NO!” Once more (Y/N) forced herself from Adam’s hold and ran towards Markus. She couldn’t--she couldn’t let the police hurt him! He did nothing wrong!

He was only...He was only trying to protect them!

_“Please, don’t hurt Adam!”_

_“He was only protecting me!”_

_“HE’S NOT DANGEROUS!”_

** _“PLEASE!”_ **

Startled by (Y/N)’s sudden movement, the male police officer took aim. “DON’T FUCKING MOVE!” he screamed. “FREEZE!”

But (Y/N) did not pay attention, and crashed into Markus’ chest, desperately trying to protect him. But as soon as she touched him, Markus immediately spun her around, just as a gunshot was heard.

Something wet hit her face, and suddenly Markus was no longer in her vision, the only thing she could now see being the faces of the stunned people in the room, as well as the smoking gun the male officer just fired.

(Y/N) could only stand there, unable to acknowledge the substance on her face. She could only stare straight ahead, unable to move.

“...Markus?” she asked, voice weak.

Then she looked down.

Markus was on the ground, a blue hole through his chest, his eyes open, his LED blank, and a pool of blue forming under him. (Y/N) could only stare.

“Markus?” she asked again. “W...Why are you...down there…?”

“(Y/N)...” Carl spoke up, but (Y/N) didn’t look at him, couldn’t look at him as she knelt beside Markus, placing a hand on his shoulder as she shook him.

“Markus,” she called. “Hey, wake up...come on, this isn’t...this isn’t funny…”

Arms wrapped around her shoulders, bringing her to her feet again. “(Y/N)...” It was Adam. “Don’t look, okay? Don’t look at him.”

Limply, (Y/N) could only allow Adam to pull her away, staring up at him in confusion. “W-Why is he…why is he like that?” she asked. “Why did they...why did they do that?”

Adam didn’t answer, though his LED remained a solid red.

“What did you…” (Y/N) then looked at the police officers, who were staring at her in what looked to be shock. “Why did you do that? He was...he was only protecting me…”

The officers looked away.

Looking back at Markus again, (Y/N)’s eyes widened. “You killed him,” she whispered. “You killed him.”

“(Y/N),” Carl called again, but his voice fell on deaf ears.

“YOU KILLED HIM!” screamed (Y/N), struggling against Adam again now as he began to pull her away. “YOU KILLED HIM! YOU MONSTERS, WHY?! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO KILL HIM?! WHY?! WHY?! _WHY?!_”

No one answered, and this only fueled her rage and despair.

“HOW COULD YOU?!” she continued screaming. “HE WAS INNOCENT! YOU KILLED HIM! YOU KILLED HIM!”

(Y/N) then slumped against Adam’s hold, unable to fight any longer. “You killed him...you killed him…why...he was only...trying to protect us...”

_You killed him._

No one said a word, not even when the ambulance finally arrived on scene.


	10. Chapter 10

She barely remembered the ambulance ride.

She did recall being gently ushered into the compartment that smelled too strongly of chemicals, the blood (both hers and not) being cleaned from her face, her face being treated and being wrapped with band-aids and other kinds of gauze-like bandages, a blanket being wrapped around her, and even being given new (thankfully cotton) clothes to change into. However, (Y/N) never moved to change out of her outfit.

She simply couldn’t.

Even then, she barely spoke a word to anyone, barely reacted, even when they finally arrived to the hospital and she was checked out by a doctor. All questions the doctor asked, she didn't answer, didn’t look at them even. Adam had to answer those questions in her stead.

Carl was there with them too, and he tried to talk to (Y/N), but she didn’t look his way and remained silent. She knew that her silence was hurting the old man, and it hurt her in turn, but she couldn’t look at him or talk to him. If she did, then hurtful words and looks would come forth, all things she wouldn’t be able to take back, and she didn’t want to do that to Carl.

He didn’t deserve any of that.

Eventually, the doctor had decreed that she was well enough to return home, but then (Y/N) and Adam were picked up by the police, who said they had some questions for them at the station. Once again, (Y/N) barely remembered the ride to the station, or even when she was guided inside.

All the while, she still had a blanket around her, and refused to speak a word.

She refused to look at the officers responsible for it all, both of whom tried to talk to her, but she wouldn’t acknowledge them. All she could think about was that they killed Markus, unprovoked, completely ignoring the fact that he was only defending her from the real criminal.

Still, she wanted to scream at them, slap them, anything that would make it clear that they had made a terrible mistake, but Adam turned her away from them and began to gently usher her away, not saying a word himself.

She could only cling to him, fearful that those demons in human skin would try to take Adam as well. She even sent a tearful, hateful glare the way of Markus’ killers (or what she hoped was a glare), and they looked away.

(Y/N) hoped they felt ashamed, because she sure was ashamed of them.

Eventually, both (Y/N) and Adam were led to a room that appeared to be an interrogation room, a dark room with dark grey walls, a silver table and matching chairs, and a mirror that reflected them, but which hid the observation room behind it. Suddenly (Y/N) felt uncomfortable, and she grasped the blanket around her even tighter, wishing that it would make her invisible.

She was then guided to the seat facing the door. “Wait here, please,” the officer gently ordered, a man with dark skin and the matching eyes. Suddenly (Y/N) wondered how someone with such a soothing voice could be in this profession, working alongside those two monsters. “Hank will be in shortly.”

He then left, the door opening and closing the only sound (Y/N) heard before the room went eerily silent. It didn’t bother her, though, and suddenly she found herself silently shedding tears.

She just wanted to go home. She didn’t want to be here. She wanted to get Adam away and back into the safety of their home, where no one could hurt them.

But…

Markus had been killed in the very place that he felt safe in, right after he called for help with someone who had been intruding, and even (Y/N) knew how fragile the safety of one’s own home can be when someone unwanted invades it.

Adam, who was mutely standing behind her, wrapped an arm around her shoulder, his thumb gently rubbing it above the blanket. (Y/N) grasped his hand with her free one, holding it as tightly as she could as she continued to silently cry, no longer having the energy to sob.

Just then, the door opened, causing her to look up.

Moving to sit down in the seat opposite her, a ragged-looking man greeted her. He had semi-long silver hair, the matching mustache and beard, grey eyes, and was wearing an outfit that looked so unnatural to this place that (Y/N) almost thought he wasn’t an officer.

For several seconds, they stared at each other, not saying a word, and (Y/N) continued to stare at him blankly, the tears having long since dried up on her cheeks. She just wanted the man to start talking and ask his questions so they can go home.

The man before her raised an eyebrow. “You really look like you’ve seen Hell,” he commented.

She kept staring, not responding.

The man leaned back against the chair, probably a relaxed posture from the looks of it. “So,” he began, “what kind of trouble have you gotten into now?”

This time, (Y/N) blinked. What? What did he mean by “now”?

As she wasn’t responding, the man continued. “Trouble really does seem to be attracted to you, Miss Pianist. Last time I saw you, you were a terrified little thing. What have you gotten yourself into this time?”

At this point, (Y/N) understood. “Mr...Anderson?” she questioned.

“One and only.” Mr. Anderson leaned forward on the table again. “So, what happened? You really look like you’ve seen someone shoot a puppy.”

(Y/N) flinched, eventually snarling. “Don’t say that!” she cried. “Don’t treat Markus like he was insignificant! They killed him! He was innocent, and they killed an unarmed man!”

“(Y/N).” Adam’s hand on her shoulder drew (Y/N)’s attention, and she looked at Adam, finding him shaking his head at her. Biting her lip, she looked at her lap, now wanting to be home than ever.

Mr. Anderson was silent for a moment. “It was an android, Miss Pianist,” he said, voice matter-of-fact. “That’s all there is to it.”

(Y/N) stared at him, stunned at the response. “What?” she asked, voice weak.

“It was only damaged property,” Mr. Anderson continued, still calm as ever. “Don’t worry about it.”

At this, (Y/N) couldn’t stop the snarl from appearing on her face. “You didn’t say that when Adam was protecting me all those years ago,” she growled. “Why are you saying this now?”

Mr. Anderson didn’t respond to that.

“Oh, I get it,” she said, voice dangerously low despite Adam’s warning grip on her shoulder. “You only care about the people who actually can’t depend on themselves, can you? You were only taking pity on me back then, and that’s why you didn’t destroy Adam the moment you saw him. The same can’t be said for Markus, can it, even when he was trying to save me from the real criminal?”

Once again, Mr. Anderson didn’t respond.

“You disgust me, Mr. Anderson,” (Y/N) continued. “You and all the people who can’t look past their own pity party, who can’t see past the color of one’s own blood. People like you make me sick.”

“(Y/N),” scolded Adam.

Mr. Anderson leaned forward, the action threatening. “Now, listen here, missy,” he began, voice stern and cold. “The only reason I’m not arresting you right now is because you were only a witness and victim to this event. However, if it were up to me, I’d throw the lot of you into the trash.”

(Y/N) scoffed condescendingly. “I’d like to see you try, _monster_.”

That single word seemed to snap Mr. Anderson out of any anger he had, as his eyes went wide and his mouth parted. By now, Adam’s grip on her shoulder was painfully tight, but (Y/N) didn’t care as she then turned away from the man.

“Get out,” she ordered. “I don’t want to see you or those murderers for the rest of the night. You have done enough damage. Why don’t you hurry up and get this over with so we can finally get out of here?”

Mr. Anderson didn’t say anything for a moment. “You know we’re not done yet,” he pointed out.

“Really?” (Y/N) looked at the man with a deadpan expression. “I think you have all the answers to your questions. No need to repeat yourself. After all, I’m just a retarded girl who can’t hope to understand how the real world works, can I? Your words, right?”

Mr. Anderson didn’t say a word.

(Y/N) was then about to say one more harsh thing when Adam finally covered her mouth with his free hand. She didn’t fight him, knowing it would be fruitless. After several more seconds of dead silence and staring, Mr. Anderson finally sighed in irritation and stood up, walking to the door and heading out without a word. (Y/N) watched him go with a hateful glare, gleeful that he was gone.

Was that really the man who saved her and Adam all those years ago? The one who helped her and Adam to obtain a better life for themselves? It would’ve normally surprised her to see this change, but at this time, she couldn’t bring herself to care.

Adam wasn’t saying anything, but (Y/N) could feel his disapproving gaze on her, which she did her best to ignore. She knew that she was going to regret those words later, but at this time, she again couldn’t bring herself to care. Markus was dead, and that man was ignoring the fact that he wasn’t the real criminal, that he had been trying to save her and Carl from that criminal.

What happened to the police force these days? Did androids (people) simply not matter to them?

It must have been minutes later when the door opened again, this time with someone different entering. (Y/N) didn’t look up to see who it was, though she doubted that it was Mr. Anderson, as his footsteps were heavier than this person’s. She could also tell that they were a male, because who else would have those kinds of footfalls?

The seat was then moved as the new figure sat down into it, looking right at her. Even still, (Y/N) didn’t look up and continued to pray that they would hurry up and go away.

She didn’t want to be here.

The figure then leaned against the table, clasping his hands together. “Hello,” greeted the figure, their voice soothing and a little high, obviously a male. “You are (Y/N) (L/N), correct?”

(Y/N) didn’t answer. Though, it didn’t seem like the man was deterred by this, as he went on.

“My name is Connor,” he said. “I’m the android sent by CyberLife to assist in the investigation on deviant androids. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions before you leave?”

Once again, (Y/N) didn’t answer.

There was a brief silence as the man before her observed her, then he spoke again. “I understand that you have witnessed a traumatic incident, Miss (L/N),” he began. “If you feel that you can’t continue, we can stop.”

At this, (Y/N) looked up at him, suddenly hopeful. However, as soon as she saw him, she felt her blood run cold.

That...that’s…!

That dark hair, those dark eyes, that same blue and sharp suit. It-It couldn’t be…!

The man’s brows furrowed. “Are you alright, Miss (L/N)?” he asked.

“Y-You…” (Y/N) whispered, now shaking. “It’s you…”

The man, Connor, said nothing, though if she had to guess, he was probably baffled by her words.

She went on. “You...you’re the liar…”

Now Connor’s brows went up in bewildered confusion as Adam placed a hand on (Y/N)’s shoulder.

“You lied to him…” (Y/N) continued, immediately moving to wrap her arms around Adam’s torso, desperately trying to keep him away from the man before them. “You lied to that man! You allowed him to be killed! You lied to him!”

Connor could only sit there, clearly caught off guard by her accusations, and suddenly the room felt too small, too cramped, and now (Y/N) was desperate to get herself and Adam out of this place.

An exit...there had to be an exit!  
  


Adam immediately pinned her arms to the sides, preventing her from moving, and (Y/N) could only panic even more as Adam turned to Connor.

“I’m sorry,” he said, “but we must leave. Now.”

As the panic increased, Connor could only stare at them before finally nodding, opening the door for them to leave. As they walked out of the station and towards the nearest taxi, (Y/N) heard someone yelling at Connor, but she didn’t turn to check.

She didn’t want to be here anymore. The cold night air never felt more welcoming for a long time.

Now, though, she had no more tears left to cry, and (Y/N) suddenly hated that for some odd reason.

Still, she hated this numbness, a numbness that she remembered all too well.

Why...why was that liar there? Did he...did he order Markus killed too?

(Y/N) didn’t want to know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter, I know. Oh well, still hope it was alright. (Y/N) sure is one to hold grudges, but it’s hard to blame her when you witness someone you care about being shot and killed.
> 
> Also, I’m going to let you guys guess as to why Hank was disturbed by (Y/N)’s “monster” comment. I won’t go too deep into it, but I will say this; Hank doesn’t see himself as a monster, nor does he want to be one.


End file.
